Social network routing

ABSTRACT

An Ad Hoc social networking environment enables information and device access management between social networking groups and social networking members with or without access restrictions and anonymity. Contact and access information can be exchanged and updated on the fly without requiring users to notify other contacts or contacting devices and can support underlying contact information changes, enable extemporaneous termination or modification of contact access, enable temporary access, and the like. Ad Hoc social networking can utilize unique identifiers, proxy elements, or the like to support various levels of membership anonymity and Ad Hoc social networking. Proxy elements enable SNET tear down or dissolution by retracting the proxy service from a member. Storing social group contact information in shared databases can enable sharing and updating of contact information without the need to inform affected contacts. Some social networks can include various specialized devices and related services.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENTS/PATENT APPLICATIONS

The present U.S. Utility patent application claims priority pursuant to35 U.S.C. §120 as a continuation of U.S. Utility application Ser. No.13/351,822, entitled “Ad Hoc Social Networking,” filed on Jan. 17, 2012,scheduled to issue as U.S. Pat. No. 9,118,731 on Aug. 25, 2011, whichclaims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 61/545,147, entitled “Social Network Device Membershipsand Resource Allocation,” filed Oct. 8, 2011, both of which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties and made part ofthe present U.S. Utility patent application for all purposes.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[Not Applicable]

MICROFICHE/COPYRIGHT REFERENCE

[Not Applicable]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to social networking, and moreparticularly to social network device memberships, resource allocation,and related services and communications.

2. Related Art

The popularity and growth of social network sites and services hasincreased dramatically over the last few years. Existing social networksites include Facebook, Google+, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube, LinkedIn,Flicker, Jaiku, MYUBO, Bebo and the like. Such social networking sitesare typically organized around user profiles and/or collections ofcontent accessible by members of the network. Membership in such socialnetworks is comprised of individuals, or groupings of individuals, whoare generally represented by profile pages and permitted to interact asdetermined by the social networking service.

In many popular social networks, especially profile-focused socialnetworks, activity centers on web pages or social spaces that enablemembers to communicate and share activities, interests, opinions, statusupdates, audio/video content, etc. across networks of contacts. Socialnetworking services might also allow members to track certain activitiesof other members of the social network, collaborate, locate and connectwith former acquaintances and colleagues, and establish new connectionswith other members.

While social networks are usually comprised of individuals, membersmight also include companies, restaurants, political parties and eventprofiles that are represented in a like manner to human members (e.g.,profile pages accessible by members of a social network). Individualmembers typically connect to social networking services through existingweb-based platforms via a computing device and/or mobile smartphone.Smartphone and games-based mobile social networking services are otherrapidly developing areas.

Social media is often utilized as a method of facilitating a variety ofsocial interactions. When a person meets someone in a social or businesssetting, for example, that person may desire to exchange a variety ofcontact information. In addition, a person may desire to providediffering sets of information to different acquaintances (e.g., businesscontacts, family members, friends, and visitors). Such contactinformation may include one or more of a person's phone numbers, emailaddresses; and web page addresses, twitter handles, blog addresses,social network (SNET) handles, VoIP/video call handles, etc. When achange occurs to contact information, it is presently very difficult toconvey the information to all other members and member devices, bothwithin and without social networks.

Often, a visitor to a location, network, or the like is granted accessto a location, business network, and possibly to a social networkingenvironment, cloud applications, or cloud media content. Such grants areoften virtually unlimited in duration and scope. In addition, a socialgroup has a variety of mechanisms for establishing contact with anothermember, member device, or member device service, including, for example,telephone numbers, IP or other routing addresses, VoIP/video callhandles, twitter handles, other SNET handles, blogs, web page addresses,email addresses, etc. When a change the above occurs, it may bedifficult to convey the information to all other members and memberdevices.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a social networking environmentaccording to various embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 2 illustrates social device membership and access in a socialnetwork according to various embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 3 illustrates Ad Hoc Social Networking environments according tovarious embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 4 illustrates Ad Hoc Social Networking environments according tovarious embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 5 illustrates Social Networking environments according to variousembodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 6 illustrates Social Networking environments according to variousembodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 7 illustrates Social Networking environments according to variousembodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 8 illustrates a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of socialdevice docking with a social network group/sub-group according tovarious embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 9 illustrates a schematic block diagram illustrating access to asocial device participating in a social network circle/sub-circleaccording to various embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 10 illustrates a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of socialdevice-based profiling supporting advertising and group offeringsaccording to various embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 11 illustrates a sequence diagram depicting travel socialnetworking according to various embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 12 illustrates a social device social networking environmentaccording to various embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 13 illustrates an appliance social network group/sub-groupaccording to various embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 14 illustrates a vehicular social network group/sub-group accordingto various embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 15 illustrates an embodiment of a social networking environmentaccording to various embodiments of the disclosure; and

FIG. 16 illustrates a social device according to various embodiments ofthe disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As used herein, the terms “social network” and “SNET” comprise agrouping or social structure of devices and/or individuals, as well asconnections, links and interdependencies between such devices and/orindividuals. Members or actors (including devices) within or affiliatedwith an SNET may be referred to herein as “members”, “users”, “nodes”,“social devices”, “SNET members”, “SNET devices”, “user devices” and/or“modules”. In addition, the terms “SNET circle”, “SNET sub-circle”,“SNET group”, and “SNET sub-group” generally denote an SNET thatcomprises SNET devices and, as contextually appropriate, human SNETmembers, device SNET members, personal area networks (“PAN”), and thelike.

In accordance with the disclosure, a social network-centric basis can beutilized for user contact and device access management, with or withoutrestrictions and various level of user/device anonymity. In this way,and as described more fully below, an entity, which can include, withoutlimitation, an individual, user, social device, SNET group member, somecombination thereof, or the like can forward all contact and accessinformation in one event, and can elect to hide or withhold certaininformation during the process. Underlying access rights/contactinformation may be provided on the fly without the need to notifycontacts, contacting devices, SNET group members, or the like. Further,device access and contact information sharing can be very dynamic andresponsive to power up and down (including online status), for example,and may entail rerouting access to a secondary or new device in anon-intrusive or unseen manner. Further, a device owner may boot orrestrict access (e.g., do not disturb) manner on a device-by-device andhuman member-by-member basis.

Referring first to FIG. 1, an infrastructure including a social network100 (hereinafter “SNET”) comprising various elements is shown. SNET 100can include various members, groups, accounts, and the like which caninteract, become members of various SNET groups, some combinationthereof, or the like. As shown in the illustrated embodiment, an SNET100 can include one or more SNET Accounts 110, which can be, associatedwith one or more SNET users, referred to herein as SNET members, 112. AnSNET member 112 associated with an SNET account 110 can interact withthe SNET 100 in various ways, including storing, hosting information onSNET 100, enabling access to information, some combination thereof, orthe like. In some embodiments, various members and elements of SNET 100include one or more devices. For example, SNET 100 can be supported byone or more server devices, while one or more SNET members may beassociated with, supported by, or the like, one or more various devices.

In some embodiments of the disclosure, phone-to-phone SNET groupmembership processing is facilitated, in real time, through Ad Hocaccess to SNET group profile data. For example, while in a callconversation, an SNET member 112 can press a button on a phone to inviteone or more other call participants, such as an SNET member 120, a thirdparty 160, another SNET group 130, some combination thereof, or thelike, to an SNET group 116. This could happen prior to, during orfollowing a call, and may be further conditioned by a proximitydetermination (with or without secure confirmation). Such an SNET group116, which may be referred to as an Ad Hoc SNET group 116, may havestandard categories of information 115 associated with it, such asbusiness card graphics, curriculum vitae, etc., and may support avariety of associated or docked social devices 119 by providing orenabling access to SNET group 116 members. What information, Deviceaccess, or the like that is made available to SNET group 116 members canbe determined by SNET member 112 by associating selected information113, which can include applications, content items, links, contactinformation, some combination thereof, or the like, Device accessinformation, or the like, to SNET group 116. SNET member access to someor all of one or devices 119 can be enabled via device accessinformation 118, which can include, without limitation, one or more IPaddresses, device capabilities, some combination thereof, or the like.

Following a successful exchange, various resources may be made availableto SNET group 116 members, including the ability to place phone callsvia a variety of means, access to one or more devices 119, such as oneor more functional elements of printers, computers, or the like, accessto certain information, such as individual product offerings of mediacontent items, text files, software applications, weblinks, contactinformation, or the like. An SNET member 112 may have various predefinedSNET groups 116 and 114, and can determine what information 113, such ascontact information, content items, applications, and the like, is madeavailable to certain members of certain SNET groups. For example, SNETmember 112 can choose to associate only basic contact information,substitute contact information, some combination thereof, or the like asinformation 117 that can be accessed by members of SNET group 114, whileSNET member 112 can also choose to associate instances of media contentitems, one or more functional elements of one or more devices 119, andthe like as information 115 and device access information, 118,respectively, to be accessible to members of SNET group 116. Device 119access by SNET group 116 members may not necessarily require accessingdevice 119 through SNET group 116. For example, SNET member 120 mayaccess device access information 118 that enables the SNET member 120 toaccess device 119 directly or indirectly over one or more transportmedia.

In some embodiments, an SNET member 112 who has various SNET groups 114and 116, can, upon pressing an “invite to SNET group” button or likeverbal command on or to a device, can select an entity, such as an SNETmember 120, SNET group 130, third party 160, some combination thereof,or the like, to whom an offer to join one or more SNET groups 116 and114 is to be sent. The SNET member 112 may subsequently receive apassword confirmation from a recipient of the offer. A recipient mightselect “pending” or “accept”, and select another SNET or SNET group thatcould be merged in an SNET group merger. In this manner, an SNET group130, such as a business contact SNET group, can have a configuration forcommunications between an SNET group manager, including an SNET member112 managing the SNET group 116, an SNET member 120 who is a member ofthe SNET group 116, or the like, and his work acquaintances in ahub-and-spoke arrangement, such that none of the work acquaintances cancontact each other through the SNET group 116, but some or all cancontact the SNET member 112. In another embodiment, a family oracquaintance SNET group 114 may comprise a “star-like” arrangementwhereby all SNET group 114 members 112, 150, and 160 are able tointeract with each other. Such interaction may be different fordifferent members of an SNET group. For example a third party 160 who isa member of SNET group 114, but is not a member of SNET 100, may be a“guest”, “visitor”, or the like and may have limited interactioncapabilities with SNET 114, information 117 made available to groupmembers 150 who are SNET members, communications with other groupmembers, some combination thereof, or the like.

In yet another embodiment, an SNET member 112 establishes or receives aunique ID, referred to herein as a unique identifier, a unique handle,or the like, for Ad Hoc social networking opportunities, the uniqueidentifier associated with, identifying, uniquely identifying, or thelike, a user-created Ad Hoc SNET group 114. For example, an entityreceiving a handle such as “john.brcm-facebook” from the SNET member 112or some other entity may respond by joining a predefined Ad Hoc SNETgroup 114 that handles business contacts and business device access.Additional information 117, such as an email address, Skype handle,telephone number, etc., need not be provided to a new Ad Hoc SNET group114 member 150, as the Ad Hoc SNET group 114 member's 150 communicationdevices can gain such routing information from the Ad Hoc SNET group 114either publicly (and perhaps occasionally gather or update informationwhen contacting devices are attached for use in direct contact setup androuting) or privately (via anonymous routing or set-up via a proxyelement 190, which may or may not be a part of SNET 100). In someembodiments, a proxy element 190 provides substitute information to oneor more members of Ad Hoc SNET group 114, rather than some or all of theinformation 117 associated with the Ad Hoc SNET group 114. Thesubstitute information, can route communications between one or more AdHoc SNET group 114 members through a similar or different proxy element190, provide partial or full anonymity of contact information associatedwith one or more Ad Hoc SNET group 114 member, enable transparentupdating of contact information without updating all Ad Hoc SNET group114 members, prevent some or all members of Ad Hoc SNET group 114 fromhaving access to actual contact information, source informationassociated with one or more devices, actual locations of information,some combination thereof, or the like.

In an embodiment, an SNET member 112 may form an Ad Hoc SNET group 114identified as “business card”, and associate some or all of his owninformation 113, including, without limitation, his/her work cell phone,VoIP handle, and work email as information 117 associated with the group(it is noted that email accounts, Skype accounts, etc., may also act asSNET/Ad Hoc SNET group members). The SNET member 112 may also choose toassociate a tailored, work-related CV profile as part or all ofinformation 117 associated with the Ad Hoc SNET group. If desired, theSNET member 112 may also select anonymity for some or all information117, including contact information, associated with the Ad Hoc SNETgroup 114. Next, the SNET member 112 can associate the Ad Hoc SNET group114 with a handle that may be unique to the business card SNET group 114(i.e., a unique identifier). This SNET handle can then be printed on abusiness card (which may not have further contact information printedthereon), exchanged via a handshake, handwritten, exchanged with one ormore various acquaintances 150, 160, or the like, via one or morevarious transport media, some combination thereof, or the like. Later,via the SNET 100, the SNET member's 112 acquaintance 150 can attempt toadd the SNET handle, the SNET group 114 that it identifies, or the like,into his own SNET handle/SNET group and the SNET member 112 can servicethe attempt by accepting or rejecting the attempt. Upon acceptance, acontact pathway (perhaps with anonymity) is established such that theacquaintance 150, his SNET group, or the like has “joined” the Ad HocSNET group 114. In some embodiments, a joined acquaintance 160, as amember of the Ad Hoc SNET group 114, can only call the user via the AdHoc SNET group's 114 anonymous call setup support, which can include orbe part or all of a proxy element 190, which may or may not be part ofSNET 100. Similarly, email contact may be conducted via the Ad Hoc SNETgroup's 114 handle, with integrated forwarding and replies via a similaror different proxy element 190, without exposing actual email addressesof one or more SNET members to other members of Ad Hoc SNET group 114.

FIG. 2 illustrates various embodiments of social device membership andaccessibility in social network groups according to various embodimentsof the disclosure. In this embodiment, membership in an SNET group 210may be extended to encompass public and private social devices andequipment. For example, in an SNET group 210 that includes humanmembers/users 206/208, each human user may have a respective personalSNET sub-group 200(a)/200(b) of associated or docked social devices206/208 capable of independent or aggregated participation in the SNETgroup 210. The SNET sub-group may be locally or remotely accessible by ahuman user 206/208 and/or other SNET group/sub-group users throughvarious means, such as clicking on an icon or tag associated with thehuman user/personal sub-group. In some embodiments, SNET group 210 canbe organized to permit some or all members, including human users206/208, social devices 202/204, SNET subgroups 200 a/200 b, and thelike to communicate with each other. SNET group 210 can also beorganized to enable SNET group 210 members to communicate with only oneparticular SNET sub-group 200 a/200 b, human user 206/208, SNETprocessing circuitry and software 212, one or more social devices202/204 some combination thereof, or the like.

Although SNET sub-groups 200(a) and 200(b) are illustrated as separatesub-groups, such sub-groups may instead comprise a single SNET group orsub-group, or any number of additional SNET groups and/or sub-groups,each of which may include various combinations of social devices202/204. Further, SNET processing circuitry and software 212 of theillustrated embodiment manages formation and operation of the SNET group210. The SNET processing circuitry and software 212 may be incorporatedin a standalone server, one or more social devices, and/or cloud-basedresources. The SNET group 210 may be persistent or of limited duration,and include ad hoc and/or static associations.

Social devices 202/204 may be broadly categorized as social devices 202that include a user or SNET group interface sufficient to providemeaningful input to SNET interaction, social devices 204 that supportminimal or no user input relevant to SNET interaction, or the like. Moreparticularly and without limitation, the first category may includecomputers, tablet devices, IPTVs, IPTV set top boxes, smart phones,servers, laptops, cloudbooks, network attached storage devices, gamingconsoles, media players/sources, communication nodes (access points,routers, switches, gateways, etc.), user interface devices, power linecommunication (PLC) devices, etc. Such social devices may receive userinput for SNET setup and management. The second category may include,again without limitation, printers, projectors, cameras and camcorders,scanners, speakers, headsets, smoke detectors, alarm systems, videocameras, mice, etc. In general, docket social devices include anyelectronic device that could be operably coupled to or docked in an SNETgroup/sub-group via wired or wireless pathways to participate as an SNETuser.

As will be appreciated, by docking social devices, users of an SNETgroup 210 may gain full or partial remote control and interaction suchdevices via an authorized user SNET account. For example, family membersauthorized to participate in a “family” SNET group may remotely accessdocked social devices via one or more associated SNET accounts. As willbe discussed below, users of an SNET group 210 may maintain databasescontaining information associated with other users of SNET group 210.Such information may be stored or hosted in databases in SNET sub-groups200 a and 200 b, with updates to individual databases being distributedto other SNET sub-groups periodically, via user input, or in response toan update. A central copy of a database may be stored or hosted at SNETprocessing circuitry and software 212, which can receive updates fromvarious users, devices, SNET groups 200, or the like and distributeupdated databases back to the various users of SNET group 210.

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of an environment supporting Ad Hocmembership in Ad Hoc SNET groups for both existing SNET members, newSNET members, third parties, and the like. Ad Hoc SNET groups can enablean SNET member to enable others to gain quick, on the fly access tocertain information associated with the SNET member while maintainingcontrol over the access, such that control can be expanded, restricted,terminated, or dropped quickly and selectively.

An Ad Hoc SNET group membership and information associated with thegroup can be managed via an SNET hosting system. As shown in theillustrated embodiment, an SNET hosting system 311 can include accountsfor members of the SNET. Each member's account can include entries forinformation 321, social devices 323, and the like associated with themember, registered with the SNET, and the like, which the member canselectively choose to include in one or more Ad Hoc SNET groups 325.Using various controls and interfaces, e.g. user interface service 329,a member can control what information, devices, and the like can beaccessed by members of the SNET member's Ad Hoc Groups, add or removeinformation, devices, and the like from the hosting system 311, modify,add, or terminate Ad Hoc SNET group members, and the like.

The illustrated embodiment shows SNET accounts 313 and 315 for a firstand second SNET user 371 and 373, respectively. Other embodiments caninclude additional accounts for additional SNET members, which caninclude, without limitation, full SNET members, restricted SNET members,new SNET members, guest SNET members, some combination thereof, or thelike. The first user 371 account 313 is illustrated in an expanded viewto illustrate the information, services, and the like available to anSNET member; other SNET members, such as the second SNET member'saccount 315, can have similar features.

The first user 371's account 313 can include an entry 321 dedicated toinformation and applications related to the first user 371. Theinformation and applications can include, without limitation,information and applications that the first user 371 collected, bought,created, gained access to, or the like. The information, applications,and the like can be detailed, listed, stored, or the like in slots331-339. Information associated with the first user 371 can include,without limitation, information regarding the first user 371's one ormore SNET profiles 331, media 333, writings 335, associated contacts337, applications 338, and the like. Profile data slot 331 can includeinformation related to the first user 371's profile for one or moreSNETs in which the first user 371 is an SNET member, such as profilehandles, passwords, home page links, and the like. Media informationslot 333 can include information detailing media content items, orportions thereof, that the first user 371 has created, acquired, or thelike, such as titles, run-time, metadata, the actual media content itemsthemselves, or the like. For example, where the first user 371 is amusical composer, media information 333 may include some or all of themusical works created by the first user 371. Writings information slot335 can include information detailing writings created, acquired, or thelike by the first user 371, including, without limitation, blog posts,articles, e-novels, and the like. Contacts information slot 337 caninclude contact information for certain individuals and entitiesincluding, without limitation, phone numbers, email addresses, mailingaddresses, unique identifiers for certain SNETs, and the like.Applications information slot 338 can include information detailingcertain applications, such as software programs, processes, or the like.

All of the above slots 331-338 can include information detailing certainitems, the items themselves, or the like. For example, the media slot333 can include links for access to some or all of a selection of mediacontent items. However, each item detailed in each information slot331-338 may be located in different places on the planet. For example,the various media content items listed, detailed, or the like in slot333 may be located on separate file servers, computing networks,devices, or the like around the world, while the various writingsdetailed, listed, or the like in slot 335 may be located on differentwebsites, servers, or the like. The location of the various informationdetailed, listed, or the like in slots 331-338 may be located in aseparate slot for communications information 339 necessary to access thedesired information detailed, listed, or the like in slots 331-338,including Universal Resource Locator (URL) addresses, weblinks,passwords, access protocols, or the like.

Slots in entry 321 can be added, modified, or removed as the first user371, another SNET member, the SNET hosting system 311, or the like maysee fit. For example, the first user 371 can create a new slot dedicatedto media content items that are related to the first user 371's familymembers, for ease of identification and access.

The first user 371's account 313 can include an entry 323 dedicated tosocial devices related to the first user 371. These social devices canbe registered with the SNET hosting system 311, some other SNET, or thelike. Entry 323 can include slots 341-349 dedicated to various devices,to which the first user 371 may have exclusive control, partial control,or the like and which may be capable of participation or interactionwith the SNET. Such devices can include various appliances 341,peripherals, 343, computers 345, media equipment 347, phone equipment,and the like. Information included in each slot can include thenecessary information to access certain functional elements of one ormore devices, enable communications between an SNET member and the SNETvia one or more device, some combination thereof, and the like.

The first user 371's account 313 can include an entry 325 dedicated toAd Hoc SNET groups. These Ad Hoc SNET groups can be created, managed,and the like by the first user 371, individually or cooperatively withanother one or more SNET members, the SNET itself, and the like. Thefirst user 371 can add, create, modify, or otherwise interact with AdHoc SNET groups in entry 325. The first user 371 can create an Ad HocSNET group to other entities associated with various interests andpurposes. The first user 371 can also enable Ad Hoc SNET group membersto gain access to some or all of certain information 321, devices 323,some combination thereof, or the like. For example, one Ad Hoc SNETgroup 351 could be dedicated to one or more of the first user 371'shobbies. If the first user 371 is a model rocketry enthusiast, and hasextensive writings 335 and media content items 333 related toconstruction and operation of model rockets, the first user 371 may wishto enable members of his Hobby Ad Hoc SNET group 351 to be able toaccess his rocketry articles, videos, and the like. Furthermore, thefirst user 371 may wish to enable members of his Ad Hoc SNET group tooperate a model rocket launch pad device via his Hobby SNET. However,the first user 371 may desire that the members of his Hobby Ad Hoc SNETgroup 351 be unable to access any other information or devices, such ashis music collection, HDMI television, or the like. Using a Mapping andAccess Control system 327, the first user 371 can selectively controlwhat information, devices, and the like members of certain Ad Hoc SNETgroups 351-359 can access by mapping, or associating, certaininformation 321, devices 323, and the like to/with certain Ad Hoc SNETgroups 325. The first user 371 can set a default level of access for acertain one or more Ad Hoc SNET groups, including no access to anyinformation or device, access to certain information or devices, fullaccess to all registered devices and information, some combinationthereof, or the like. In addition, access to information and devices bySNET members can be controlled on a member-by-member basis. For example,the first user 371, being a prudent model rocketry enthusiast, maydesire that only certain, highly-trusted members of his Hobby Ad HocSNET group have access to control his model rocket launch device. Thefirst user 371 may restrict default access by members of the Hobby SNET351 to certain information only, and give those trusted individualsexpanded access to include the launch device. Changes in access for someor all Ad Hoc SNET group members can be transparent to all members.

The first user 371 can also use the SNETs 351-359 to create variousgroups dedicated to various levels and elements of the first user 371'sinformation and device access. For example, the first user 371 maydesire that some of his work colleagues have continuous access to hisdaytime work telephone and email address, but nothing else, while sometrusted work contacts should also have access to his cell phone, friendsshould have access to his home phone, and family members should havefull access to all of his contact information. To address this issue,the first user 371 can create an SNET dedicated to each level of access,thereby providing each member of a respective SNET a certain level ofaccess to the first user 371's information and devices, essentiallyfunctioning as a virtual “business card”, as set by default, SNET logic,or the first user 371 in the mapping and access control system 327. Forexample, an “A” Business Card SNET 353 might be mapped or associatedwith “basic” work contact information for daytime contact, a “B”Business Card SNET 355 for more extensive work contact information for24/5 contact, a Friends Card SNET 355 for extensive 24/7 contact, and aFamily Card SNET 359 for complete 24/7 contact. As discussed above, thefirst user 371 can modify individual access of individual members ofeach SNET as the first user 371 so chooses.

In some embodiments, one or more of a user's Ad Hoc SNET groups can haveone or more unique identifiers associated with the Ad Hoc SNET group.Each handle can uniquely identify an Ad Hoc SNET group against all otherAd Hoc SNET groups and can be generated automatically by SNET hostingsystem 311, manually by user input, some combination thereof, or thelike. The unique identifier can be in a textual or some other easilyinterpretable form, an alphanumeric code, or the like. The uniqueidentifier can also identify the Ad Hoc SNET group by observation. Forexample, a unique identifier for Ad Hoc SNET group 353, where the SNETis Facebook and the first user 371 is named “Bennett”, may read“fc.bennett.busA”, thereby identifying the SNET, the user, and the AdHoc SNET group 353 within the handle. The unique identifier can be usedby a user to add members in an Ad Hoc manner quickly, and on the fly.For example, first user 371 can pass a unique identifier associated witha particular Ad Hoc SNET group to other users, entities, or the likethat first user 371 wishes to add to the particular Ad Hoc SNET group.

Upon receipt of a unique identifier, a user can join the SNET byentering the unique identifier into the SNET. For example, if first user371 meets second user 373 and wishes to add second user 373 to hisBusiness “A” Card SNET group 353 to give him basic access to his daytimework contacts, first user 371 can exchange the unique identifierassociated with the Business “A” Card SNET group 353 with second user373. The unique identifier can be exchanged on a card, verbally, via anemail, text message, or some other transport medium. The uniqueidentifier can also be exchanged with a password, time-dependent key, orthe like that a recipient of the unique identifier must utilize to jointhe Ad Hoc SNET group. Where second user 373 is a member of the SNET,second user can use the unique identifier to join the Ad Hoc SNET groupby entering the unique identifier into his own social device 381, someother social device, by logging into his SNET account and providing theunique identifier, some combination thereof, or the like. Uniqueidentifiers provided by a receiving SNET member, such as second user373, can be received in the SNET hosting system via a module 317 thatmanages membership for existing SNET members. For example, if anexisting SNET member 373 enters the unique identifier for first user's371 Business “A” Card SNET group 353 into an interface on his socialdevice 381, an SNET interface, or the like, module 317 can automaticallyadd second member 373 to Business “A” Card SNET group 353 and providethe default level of access, specified level of access for new Ad HocSNET group members, or the like as specified by Mapping and Accesscontrol 327.

In some embodiments, a user can invite individuals and entities who arenot currently members of the SNET to an Ad Hoc SNET group. For example,first user 371 may desire to add third party 375 to his Ad Hoc SNETgroup 351. First user 371 can provide the unique identifier for theparticular Ad Hoc SNET group, as well as instructions, information, orthe like necessary for third party 375 to find and access the properSNET. Such information and instructions, as well as the uniqueidentifier, can be provided to third party 375 directly, by verbalinstruction, by pushing the unique identifier and a link from firstuser's device 383 to third users' 375 device 385 over a transportmedium, or the like. For example, first user 371 may be on a phone callwith third party 375 and may push a button on device 383 to transmit aninvitation to Ad Hoc SNET group 351 to third party 385. The invitationmay comprise the unique identifier for SNET 351, a weblink to the SNET,and the like and may be sent as a text message, email, or the like, viaa wireless connection, such as BT, WiFi, Near-Field, handshaking,device-to-device contact, or the like. Upon following the weblink, thirdparty 375 may be presented with an interface in which third party canjoin the SNET and join the Ad Hoc SNET group 351 as a new member, jointhe SNET 351 as a non-member of the SNET, a guest member, or the like.Guest members can be under certain restrictions not imposed on full SNETmembers. For example, guest memberships can be time-limited, with anoption to be made permanent if the guest membership is converted to afull SNET membership, or the like. Adding and managing new or non-SNETmember of Ad Hoc SNET groups can be managed through a module 319separate from the module 317 that manages SNET members.

In some embodiments, a user who is a member of an SNET group, which canbe an Ad Hoc SNET group, can give a nonmember, referred to herein as athird party, guest, visitor, or the like, access to at least someinformation associated, mapped, or the like with the SNET group. Forexample, the user may associate media content items with a “Familymedia” SNET group, and the user may desire to give a friend access to atleast the media content items. The user's social device can also, oralternatively, be a member of the SNET group. The user can interact withthe SNET group via an interface on the user's social device to send thefriend, directly, via a device supporting the friend, or the like, aninvitation to join the SNET group. The user, social device, or the likecan also provide a unique identifier that uniquely identifies the SNETgroup. The friend can utilize the invitation, unique identifier, or thelike to join the SNET group as an ad hoc member and participate in it byinteracting with the user's social device (which acts as an accesspoint) via the friend's device, via an independent pathway, or the like.Participation can include accessing some of the media content itemsassociated with the SNET group, all media content items, some or allother information or device functional elements, or the like. Thefriend's ad hoc membership in the SNET group can be terminated,restricted, or the like by the user, user's device, or the like at anytime, in response to one or more trigger events, or the like. Forexample, upon detecting that the friend's device has moved a certainthreshold distance from the user's social device, the social device mayautomatically, without the user's intervention, terminate or restrictthe ad hoc membership of the friend, the friend's device, or the like inthe SNET group.

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of an environment supporting Ad HocSNET group formation for both existing SNET members, new SNET members,third parties, and the like. As described above, embodiments of thedisclosure can enable a user to add members to an Ad Hoc SNET groupquickly and on the fly. In some embodiments, the Ad Hoc SNET groupsthemselves can be created quickly and on the fly, enabling a user tocreate an Ad Hoc SNET group, acquire a unique identifier for the group,and provide that unique identifier to others to quickly join the Ad HocSNET group.

Each SNET member can have access to SNET functionality that enables themember to create an Ad Hoc SNET group. For example, in the illustratedembodiment, SNET Hosting System 411 includes accounts for both SNETmembers and third-party non-members that enable at least some access toAd Hoc SNET group functionality. Full SNET members, including, withoutlimitation, a first and second user, may have access to Ad Hoc SNETgroup formation controls 437/457, respectively. Such functionality maybe located in an Ad Hoc SNET group management system 435/455,respectively, which enable a full SNET member to both create 437/457 newgroups and manage 439/459 existing Ad Hoc SNET groups that the membercreated, has some level of control over, or the like. Such controls overnew and existing groups can include utilizing mapping and accesscontrols 441/461 to add, remove, or otherwise modify user information431/451 associated with an Ad Hoc SNET group. For example, a first usercan access his account 421, form a new Ad Hoc SNET Group 437, and map,or associate, certain items of the first user's information 431 andaccess to/with some portions of some of first user's devices 433; and asecond user can use his account 423 to add, remove, or otherwise modifyaccess controls 461, information 451, and device access 453 to one ormore Ad Hoc SNET groups 459 that the second user created previously.

In some embodiments, users who are not SNET members can have athird-party account, guest account, or the like. The abilities that sucha third party can exercise through the third-party account may besignificantly limited from the abilities provided to full SNET members.For example, as shown in the illustrated embodiment, a third party has aguest account 425. Through this account, a third party can provide andstore basic contact information, provide information related to one ormore current devices to be associated with the third party, and controlsfor participating 475 with, and managing access 477 to, one or more AdHoc SNET groups, which may be created by one or more of the first orsecond user. The third party's access to Ad Hoc SNET groups can berestricted to participation only, such that the third party cannot makeany contributions, changes, or the like to the Ad Hoc SNET group. Insome other embodiments, third-party access may be subject to change byfull SNET members, equivalent to that given to full SNET members, or thelike. For example, where an SNET group is managed by the SNET, or by noSNET members, a third-party member may have equal access to the SNETgroup as a full SNET member.

In some embodiments, an SNET member can quickly create an Ad Hoc SNETgroup and exchange information needed to enable others to join the AdHoc SNET group. For example, a first user can decide to set up an eventseveral days in the future and invite a second user and a third-partymember to the event. To this end, the first user can access his account421, access the Ad Hoc SNET group formation functionality 437, andcreate a basic Ad Hoc SNET group. The basic group requirements may benothing more than a title, such as “Next Week Event”, for the group,such that the first user need to waste time, at least initially,specifying the levels of access afforded to certain SNET group members,nor what information and/or device access is to be provided to SNETgroup members. Such details can be provided by the first user at a laterdate.

Upon creating a basic Ad Hoc SNET group, the first user can receive aunique identifier that is associated with the Ad Hoc SNET group. Theunique identifier may be created automatically, the first user may beinvited to develop the unique identifier himself, some combinationthereof, or the like. Once the first user has a unique identifierassociated with the Ad Hoc SNET group, the first user can invite othersto join the SNET group. For example, the first user can receive theunique identifier on his social device via an Ad Hoc SNET groupformation/management module 479, a request from an SNET supportapplication 489 located on his social device 483, some combinationthereof, or the like.

Invitations to a newly-formed Ad Hoc SNET group may proceed similarly tothat described above in FIG. 3, or they may proceed differently asdescribed below, or the like. For example, the first user, having justcreated a basic Ad Hoc SNET group, can exchange a unique identifieridentifying the new SNET group with a second user's social device 481 toinvite him to the Ad Hoc SNET group. The second user may have to enterthe unique identifier into a field in the SNET, the unique identifiermay be a weblink that, upon being clicked, automatically lead the SNETto join the second user to the Ad Hoc SNET group, or the second user'ssocial device 481 or existing SNET support application 487 canautomatically, upon receipt of the unique identifier from the firstuser, register the second user with the Ad Hoc SNET group. In someembodiments, where first user desires to invite a third-party member(“third party”) to the Ad Hoc SNET group, the first user may forward acopy of the unique identifier to the third party, along with a basicsupport application, software, or the like. The third party can receivethe unique identifier and application on his device 485 and can followreceived instructions or weblinks to join the Ad Hoc SNET group as aguest member via an Ad Hoc SNET group guest member management module480, or the like. In addition, the basic support application 491, onceinstalled, may automatically, without user intervention, or the likeregister the third party as a guest member of the Ad Hoc SNET group.Such a registration can lead to the third party gaining a guest SNETaccount 425, which can be under one or more instructions beyond thoseimposed on full SNET members. For example, the guest account can betime-limited, and can expire upon elapse of a certain amount of time.

In some embodiments, an SNET group, including an Ad Hoc SNET group, canbe created quickly and on the fly by nonmembers, referred to herein asthird parties, visitors, guests, and the like. For example, a nonmembermay, upon meeting another nonmember, desire to create an SNET group forfriends of the nonmember, even though neither nonmember is a member ofthe SNET, has a pre-existing SNET group, or the like. Ad Hoc SNET groupcreation can be facilitated by one or more of the nonmembers interactingwith the SNET to set up, as a guest member of the SNET, an Ad Hoc SNETgroup, and then offering membership, including Ad Hoc membership, in theSNET group to one or more other members, nonmembers, or the like. Theoffer of membership can be made directly, via device-to-deviceinteraction between the devices of the members and nonmembers, via anindependent Internet pathway to the SNET via utilization of a uniqueidentifier uniquely identifying the SNET group, some combinationthereof, or the like. The creator of the SNET group may receive a uniqueidentifier, which he can deliver to other members and nonmember toutilize to join the SNET group; the creator may also create some or allof the unique identifier and direct that it uniquely identify the SNETgroup. Once the membership, including Ad Hoc membership, of the one ormore nonmembers, members, or the like is accepted, the SNET groupmembers can interact via the SNET group.

In some embodiments according to the disclosure, a SNET group contactproxy element can be provided to support varying levels of SNET groupmembership anonymity. As described above, an SNET group may employ avariety of addressing mechanisms for establishing contact with anotherSNET group member, member device, member device service, or supportingsoftware AI (e.g., telephone numbers, IP or other routing addresses,VoIP/video call handles, email addresses, etc.).

In some embodiments, a contact database hosted by a SNET group (perhapseven as a group member with AI) is provided that allows each SNET groupmember, human member, member devices, services, AI's, or the like tomaintain a database that includes respective contact information, alongwith an anonymity sub-table identifying anonymity across all SNET groupmembership, across some or all SNET groups, across a single SNET groupmember and all of his/her member devices, as applied to a single device,etc. Without anonymity, any SNET group member might freely retrieve fullcontact information for any other member, user, or the like. Withanonymity, a proxy element may be configured monitor packet flow andperform middleman readdressing. For example, for transfers from ananonymous first device to a public second device, direct packet routingcan occur, while reverse transfers may flow through a proxy element thatmonitors communications and performs substitute addressing andforwarding. The master anonymity database may be retrieved in whole orin part and stored in a local database counterpart within a particularmember device for subsequent use. Updates may be performed as describedbelow in FIG. 6. Further, anonymous contact information may require aproxy contact information substitute information.

In some embodiments, a user may desire to terminate/relinquish access bythe user, another member, or the like to an SNET group. In conjunction,the individual may desire to change information associated with the SNETgroup, including, for example, contact information, which may result inautomatic changes to what information can be accessed by SNET groupmembers. When dropping an acquaintance from an Ad Hoc SNET group, forexample, a user could change what devices, telephone numbers, or thelike are associated with the SNET group, with this fact blocked from theacquaintance. The acquaintance (perhaps following a boot operation)thereby has limited or no current contact information.

Other situations that might induce a user to terminate an SNET groupSNET group membership/contact, or the like can include a change in job(the user drops all business card contacts related to a previous job) ora departing visitor (the visitor's membership is automaticallyterminated, local access is terminated, authorization to utilize a proxyelement, or the like) following a specified time period. Beyond businesscard-like SNET groups, other SNET groups can operate similarly. Forexample, upon joining a company, an individual may establish numeroussocial relationships within such company's SNET infrastructure, SNETgroups, or the like relating to work, which the individual may laterwish to terminate upon leaving the company. The company's SNET groupmanager may also boot/remove the individual from some or all SNETgroups, and all contact information associated with the individual maydisappear from the SNET groups.

FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of an SNET environment supportingaccess, and management thereof, to information and device functionalityvia an Ad Hoc SNET group and proxy element. As discussed above, a usermay wish to restrict what information and functionalities are madeavailable to the members of one of his Ad Hoc SNET groups. For example,the user may wish to restrict some or all group members from knowing theuser's “real” contact information, such as his phone number, emailaddress, and the like. In addition, the user may wish to prevent membersthat access applications or information that is located in variousplaces from knowing the true location, virtual or otherwise, of theinformation, applications, and the like. The user may also wish toensure that those members that are allowed to access his trueinformation have up-to-date information, such as the user's currentphone number, email address, webpages, and the like. A user can map, orassociate, information and device functionality access to/with one ormore Ad Hoc SNET groups to enable SNET members, third-party members,some combination thereof, or the like to access the information,functionality, and the like. In the illustrated embodiment, SNETinfrastructure includes a user's information 501, which can include,without limitation, profile information, content items, communicationsinformation, applications, device information, and the like. Some or allof the user's information 503 and Social Device information 502 may bemapped to one or more Ad Hoc SNET groups 520. Some of the userinformation 503 and device information 502 mapped to an Ad Hoc SNETgroup can include contact information associated with the user,including, without limitation, one or more telephone numbers, emailaddresses, webpages, Voice-over IP (VOIP) handles, and the like, and adevice's location in a network, configuration/capability information,limits on interaction with a device via the Ad Hoc SNET group, somecombination thereof, and the like.

In some embodiments, a user may wish to restrict access by Ad Hoc SNETgroup members to some or all of the information, devices, and the likemapped to the group 520. For example, while a user may want groupmembers 515 to be able to contact him via his work telephone, the usermay not want group members 515 to be able to know his actual worktelephone number. In addition, where the work SNET infrastructure isused by a business to enable communication and interaction between itsemployees, the manager of an Ad Hoc SNET group 520 may not want a member515 to know the actual contact information, such as work telephonenumbers, of any other member 515. This can be addressed by providingpartial or complete anonymity to the user, the members, and the like.Such anonymity can be enabled by routing communications between theuser, the group members 515, and the like through a proxy element 545,such as a proxy support service. For example, while an Ad Hoc SNET group520 may collect and store the actual contact information for each of theuser and group members 541, the contact information that is provided 543to members 515 to contact other members 515, the SNET group 520, theuser, and the like, may actually be contact information for a proxyelement 545, which can redirect a communications attempt to the correctrecipient as long as the caller has proper clearance to initiatecommunications. In this way, no member 515 has the actual contactinformation of any other member or user in the Ad Hoc SNET group, and,should the user, SNET, or the like choose to remove a member 515 fromthe group 520, the member 515 will not be able to contact anyone in thegroup 520 because the member may, as part of being removed from thegroup 520, lose clearance to have calls routed through the proxy element545. In addition, members 515 may be provided with a trigger-sensitivepassword, such as a time-sensitive key that must be used to validateclearance to route calls through the proxy element 545 and, oncerevoked, cannot be replaced.

The above discussion for use of a proxy element can be utilized forvarious communications methods across a variety of contact services 555.For example, where a member 515 may wish to contact another member 515via email, the message may be sent across a communication network 517,such as a wired or wireless communication network, or the like, to aproxy element 545 that may be stored on a work server, on a device, orthe like. In addition, where a member 515 may wish to contact anothermember by standard postage mail, the proxy contact information 543provided to the member 515 may direct him to mail communications to aproxy mailbox, such as a P.O. Box, which may itself be configured toforward mail to its correct recipient. In telephone communicationembodiments, the proxy element 545 can be a proxy call forwardingservice, where the call forwarding service knows the true contactinformation of the intended recipient, but the member 515 making thecall must call the call forwarding service and verify clearance tocomplete the call.

The above proxy service can be used to enable a user to quickly andeasily terminate a member 515 from accessing information and devicefunctionality associated with an Ad Hoc SNET group 520. The member 515can be terminated from Host SNET group 520 by simply retracting themember's 515 authorization to utilize the proxy element. In addition,the proxy element can be used to reduce the burden of handling updatesand changes to the information and device functionalities. For example,a user may change his telephone number and email address. Rather thanbeing forced to contact each member 515 of the group 520 to alert themto the change, send out a group-wide message alerting them to same, orthe like, the user can simply update his contact information that ismapped to the group 520, and the proxy element 545 will forward allfuture communications directed at the user to the new contact addresses,all without alerting the members 515 to any changes in the contactinformation.

Because member access to the information, devices, and the like passesthrough the group 520, a user can restrict or terminate one or moremember's access via that member's status in the group 520. Any hiddencontact information can be represented by a unique ID, uniqueidentifier, proxy address, or the like that is delivered to member 515.Thereafter, if such unique identifier is needed, for example, to place aVoIP call using one of the contact services available to member 515,proxy element 545 can participate to hide the identity of a needed butanonymous VoIP handle. This can be done, for example, by having the VoIPcall be setup between the proxy element 545 and member 515, and thenwith proxy element 545 and the intended recipient, such as social deviceA. By being a middling node, proxy element 545 can continue to hide thesocial device A's info as well as the VoIP handle associated therewithor with the actual user. Such anonymity may be merely for theconvenience of allowing the user to make a single change and have toflow throughout all members and guests. Alternatively or in addition,such anonymity servicing may support a user's cautious approach toaccess for a given user or user class (i.e., guest). It also allows auser to disable (terminate) access to a given user, user type or theentire membership via 531, 533, 535, without having to change theunderlying, actual contact information.

In some embodiments, various members 515 and users of Ad Hoc SNET group520 can utilize the SNET group to enable media exchanges. For example, amember 515 can push an item of media content onto the SNET group 520,one or more other members 515, or the like. A member can also pull mediacontent items from the SNET group 520, where the items were previouslyplaced in the SNET group by another member 515, the user, the SNETinfrastructure 511, or the like. Anonymity services, including, withoutlimitation, a proxy element 545, can enable media content exchangesusing SNET group 520 to be anonymous. For example, proxy element 545 canbe used to mask the identity of a member 515 who pushes a media contentitem into SNET group 520, a member 515, or the like. In addition, aproxy element 545 can mask the identity of a member 515 who pulls amedia content item from SNET group 520, another member 515, or the like.

In some embodiments, a user can adjust and modify anonymity and proxysettings on an information-by-information, device-by-device,member-by-member, and other bases. For example, a user wishing to makehis personal email address visible to certain trusted members 515 canutilize a user support/control system 531, where a contact managementservice 533 can be used to manage, update, and modify what informationis mapped to the Ad Hoc SNET group 520, and he can utilize a MemberProfile and Access management service 535 to control who can access whatinformation, and with what levels of anonymity the information can behidden from members 515.

In some embodiments of the disclosure, a social group contactinformation can be shared and updated without requiring the affectedcontacts (e.g., work cohorts, friends, and family members) to beinformed, as SNET memberships, phone numbers and email addresses canchange frequently. Specifically, an SNET group can include informationassociated with a variety of mechanisms for establishing contact withanother member, member device, or member device service, including,without limitation, telephone numbers, IP or other routing addresses,VoIP/video call handles, twitter handles, other SNET handles, blogs, webpage addresses, email addresses, etc. In accordance with thisembodiment, contact persistence and validation can be implemented using,without limitation: a common, shared contact database with successtracking; immediate or periodic updating; periodic, immediate, orerror-based database inquiry; some combination thereof; or the like. Acommon, shared contact database with success tracking can include ashared database of contact information which is updated by any devicevia contact name, contact address, contact history, and the likeorganized in a table with a “last contact success time/date” sub-table;in effect or in actuality, the database (or database member AI) maycomprise an SNET group member. A database with immediate or periodicupdating can be updated whenever a contact proves successful, orperiodically upon each SNET attachment. In addition, a device canperiodically synchronize a locally stored database with an onlinedatabase (associated with the SNET group), confirm contact informationprior to attempting a contact, only seek database confirmation whenlocally stored contact information fails to establish contact, somecombination thereof, or the like.

Furthermore, resolution of an SNET/SNET group member's and member'sdevice contact information may be controlled at a high resolution(across all SNET groups), a middling resolution (applied to a particularSNET group), or at a lower resolution (on a member or member devicebasis). For example, in a situation where one SNET group member providesa new telephone number to another SNET group member outside of SNETinteraction, by merely updating the new number in a local contactdatabase, the change can propagate into the SNET/SNET group and down toother local contact databases maintained by other devices.Alternatively, a member or member device with addressing changes maydirectly update the SNET/SNET group database. For example, if alltelephone calls and emails are routed through a member's SNET group(secure and revocable) or are retrieved from the SNET group (not secureor revocable) by SNET group members, the SNET group member need onlyupdate a number, email or handle once and the change will be effectiveacross all SNET group members.

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of a SNET environment supportingaccess, and management thereof, to information and device functionalityvia an Ad Hoc SNET group and contact support. As discussed above, a usercan utilize a proxy element to both restrict access to contactinformation and other access and to update information transparently tothe user by mapping, or associating, new or updated information to theAd Hoc SNET group 520 and instructing a proxy element to route theappropriate communications to the new or updated addresses. In someembodiments, a user may desire to distribute actual information, withoutuse of a proxy element, such as in a personal SNET infrastructure 611dedicated to family and friends, where anonymity may not be a desiredfeature of the Ad Hoc SNET group. In such an embodiment one or moresupport services, e.g. real time and update support services 643, canenable all members 613 of an Ad Hoc SNET group 520 to maintainup-to-date information, including contact information, device accessinformation, and the like for all members 613. For non-anonymous contactinfo, member device 613 can have access to currently stored contactinformation which may be updated on the fly or periodically or asinitiated by the member. All contact services, e.g., telephone, email,VoIP, etc., that use such non-anonymous contact info can do so eitherindependently of the SNET infrastructure 611, with infrastructure 611proxy support, or the like as illustrated and discussed in FIG. 5.

In some embodiments, a member 613 of an Ad Hoc SNET group, which caninclude a human member, a device member, some combination thereof, orthe like, can have access to actual contact information associated witha user who created the Ad Hoc SNET group 520, other members 613, or thelike through contact services 627. The contact information can be storedin a database, which can have local copies 621 stored on one or moremember devices 613, a central copy located within the SNETinfrastructure 611, some combination thereof, or the like. The database621 can include entries for each member or user of Ad Hoc SNET group520, and can include all of the actual contact information 623 madeavailable to member 613 from the Ad Hoc SNET group 520, as well asupdate information 625 associated with each item of contact information,where the update information can indicate how reliable the contactinformation is by indicating how recently the contact information wasused by a member 613 to successfully establish a communication link withthe recipient to which the contact information is related. Such updateinformation can be updated locally on a member's device after everysuccessful communication, and updated versions of the contact database621 can be transmitted to some or all other member devices 613 afterevery local update, periodically according to a schedule, or the like.In addition, updated local databases 621 can be transmitted to the SNETinfrastructure 611, where updates are incorporated into a centralcontact information database 541. The updated central database can beretransmitted to some or all member devices 613 to replace theirindividual local databases 621 on a predetermined schedule, uponreceiving an update from one or more member devices 613, according tosome internal logic or user command, or the like.

In some embodiments, members 613 can access the Ad Hoc SNET group 520,and information mapped to it, via various means. For example, a fullSNET member can utilize an SNET application on the member's device 613to access the Ad Hoc SNET group 520, as well as a browser application,or the like. In addition, a third party member can use a simple browserapplication, a basic support application, or the like.

In some embodiments, an individual may wish to temporarily join an SNET,SNET group, or the like (possibly anonymously as guest). For example, anindividual may wish to gain access to (location-aware) regionalinformation and services, including broadcast advertised SNET groups,browsing and search related SNET groups, advertising SNET groups, hotelSNET groups, airport information and services SNET groups, sportingevent SNET groups, etc. The individual may also enable delivery ofinformation such as the individual's current location within a travelitinerary or presence (may perform dynamic twitter tagging),capabilities, or desires.

In accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure, a secureenvironment can be provided wherein a temporary (e.g., duration set,bandwidth capped, file access restricted, etc.) password and loginand/or invitation are generated and securely distributed to avisitor/guest (perhaps even using near-field support). For example, anindividual may create an SNET group named “my home for visitors” or “abchotel” and then invite a guest to the SNET group. Constraints on alldevices, personnel, information, hosted media content, etc., can becomeavailable, but may time out, diminish, degrade, or the like within afixed period of time associated with the SNET group or the offer to join(similar to a “basic services set”). Such operations might be performedby a security application that establishes and monitors an encryptedlink mechanism through which a guest(s) can safely communicate. Suchsecurity application may also support Ad Hoc revocation, restriction,extension and monitoring of any or all outstanding guest bandwidthvolumes, usage dates, etc.

In another embodiment, SNET/SNET group creation is performed on the fly,or a short term invitation to such SNET/SNET group is communicated to a(potential) guest member. For example, the guest member may walk downthe street and receive an offer to join, as an anonymous guest, aneighborhood sales SNET group established by permanent member localmerchants utilizing the group to communicate advertisements. Similarly,restaurants may offer seating availability or reservation information,perhaps in conjunction with discounts during slow periods, via an SNETgroup.

Other potential embodiments of and applications for ad hoc and/ortemporary SNETs can include, without limitation: sporting events;entertainment events/establishments; internet access and advertising atcoffee shops, hotels, etc.; personalized application delivery to acommunication device; and emergency/witness group notificationsfollowing a vehicle accident (may also trigger sensor data gathering andoffer common communication pathways). Further embodiments may include,without limitation: GPS-based invitation services (e.g., at a sportingevent with human SNET group members at a soccer field, hockey rink,etc.; social cameras taking pictures and video (for example, video fromthe front row of a concert is consumable by the back row); hand-heldsocial devices/phones; voting and questionnaire prizes; softwareservices providing trivia; meal ordering with a preset number for pickupand payment; social camera feeds providing instant replays, fan researchdata and media access; proximity-based introductions; flash events; SNETgroup records/history and storage; some combination thereof; and thelike.

Many SNETs groups, including, without limitation, Ad Hoc SNET groups,can be configured to add members, provide accesses, and terminatemembers based upon one or more trigger events, including, withoutlimitation, the SNET group members' respective locations with respect toa particular environment, elapse of a period of time, some combinationthereof, or the like. Current localized networks may provide access tocertain functions, such as wireless networks, based upon one'sgeographic location, such as a host premises, but such networks are veryrestrictive, and are firewalled against outside access and interaction.

In some embodiments, a scheme for restricting SNET membership contactaccess and SNET dissolution may be implemented through an anonymousaddressing scheme which requires authorized proxy interaction;modification of social devices to require a secure mechanism forconducting contact access, which can involve both known public contactaccess information and a changing private key; some combination thereof;or the like.

With regards to authorized proxy interaction, SNET tear down ordissolution can comprise retracting, de-authorizing, or the like, theproxy service from a member in a manner applied directly by a member toany other to be restricted member/SNET group device or human member,directly to a proxy member element within a SNET group, inherently whensuch member terminates inclusion in the SNET group or SNET, somecombination thereof, or the like.

With regards to restricting/terminating SNET access via securemechanisms, a terminated member's private key is not renewed andtherefore will not work, even when public contact access in possessed.Such a private key can extend beyond a single key to multiple keys foreach member, member device or service to enable an immediate lockout orrestriction of one member without affecting others.

FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment of a social networking infrastructureenabling control over SNET group membership and access. In someembodiments of the disclosure, a host premises includes a premisesnetwork 709, which provides social devices entering the premises network709 access to certain information, functionality, or the like.Determining that a social device has entered the premises network can beenabled by providing a user of a visiting social device with a password,passkey, or the like to access a local gateway, access point 763, or thelike. In addition, the premises network 709 can be sufficiently confinedto the host premises that a device that is able to access the accesspoint 763 is considered to be within the host premises and is allowedinto the premises network. Devices entering the premise network may beassigned various level of membership in the premises network, based uponvarious factors. For example, a social device 761 that has been withinthe premises network 709 before may receive a full membership, asopposed to a first-time visitor device 721, which may receive only aguest membership. Membership levels can determine levels of access todevices and services on the host premises 709. For example, a socialdevice with a full membership 461 can, in some embodiments, have fullaccess to a television 763, set-top box 765, DVD player 767, callrouting telephone to enable local calling abilities 769, local storageand server access 771, some combination thereof, or the like. Incontrast, a social device with a guest membership 721 can, in someembodiments, have more limited access to premises services and devices,including, network browser and download access 722, services selectionsand billing operations 723, remote control of some devices 724, contactservices 725 for contacting the some anonymous contacts 726, over aproxy element or some other mechanism 727, and the like.

In some embodiments, memberships on premises network can be terminatedby a network manager, according to some internal logic, or the like. Forexample, when a device leaves a premises network, the device's access todevices, information, services, and the like on the host premises may beterminated by terminating or restricting access granted by themembership, retracting authorization to interact with SNET groupservices or devices via a proxy element, or the like. This can occurautomatically, in response to a trigger event, including, withoutlimitation, elapse of a predetermined time after entering or leaving thepremises network 709, or the like. Some memberships can maintainresidual access after a device leaves the network. For example, wherethe premises is a hotel, and a device belongs to an exclusive hotelmembership, the device may, after leaving the premises network 709,still receive at least some access to functionality or servicesassociated with the network, including, without limitation, a callrouting phone service 769.

In some embodiments, a SNET infrastructure 731 can maintain a visitorSNET group 700 dedicated to SNET members and non-members who wish toparticipate and interact with a certain location, task, event, or thelike. For example, an SNET group 700 can be established for a baseballgame, a baseball stadium, and the like, such that a visitor to thestadium can join an SNET group 700 dedicated to the game, the stadium,or the like. Such SNET groups can, in some embodiments, be Ad Hoc SNETnetworks, in that visitors may be invited to the SNET group on the flyas they reach a certain location, perform a certain action, or the like.For example, a restaurant may create an SNET group 700 dedicated toproviding information about the restaurant to any SNET members whoapproach within a certain distance of the restaurant; the SNETinfrastructure 731 can transmit an invitation to join the SNET group 700to a device 711 of any SNET member who crosses a proximity threshold tothe restaurant, via a proxy based contact support service 745, device,or the like, which can be located within or without the SNETinfrastructure 731. SNET members who choose to accept the invitation,which can include no more than a unique identifier associated with theSNET group 700, can accept via the SNET infrastructure's visitorinterface service 751. Third-party non-members can also join the SNETgroup 700. Upon joining the SNET group 700, each SNET member ornon-member can be granted a membership in the SNET group. Eachmembership can be different and tailored to the member's device, SNETaccount or lack thereof, some combination thereof, or the like.

In some embodiments, membership in a visitor SNET group 700 can confercertain access privileges to the member. For example, the member can,while the membership is active, access certain contact information 733,one or more libraries of media content items 734, photo albums 735,webpages 737, televisions 739, set-top boxes 741, DVD players 743, CallRouting Phone services 745, some combination thereof, and the like.Access can include the ability to access certain information located onvarious networks, devices, servers, and the like that are not under thedirect control of the SNET group 700. For example, SNET group 700 canenable access to media content items located on other networks, such asa supporting server 715, a cloud-computing network 713, or the like, andprovide the content items via a proxy element so that the actuallocation of the content items is masked to the member accessing thecontent items.

Access to the services and devices made available through SNET group 700can be managed by one or more SNET group managers on a collective orindividual basis. For example, an SNET group manager can access a memberaccess management service 753, which can enable the manager to adjustservice factors 755 related to one or more member's access to variousservices, limits upon the access, time and range limits 759 on themembership, range of legitimate IP addresses 756 that can be browsed bythe member using the SNET group 700 browsing services, host approval757, and the like. The manager can also terminate membership of one ormore members by withdrawing authorization 758 to access the SNET group,a proxy element 745, some combination thereof, or the like. In thismanner, the manager can quickly and easily restrict or terminate amember's access to services, devices, and the like dedicated or relatedto the SNET group 700.

In some embodiments, a member, including a human, a device, or the like,can be added to an SNET group to enable the member to access or receiveservices, contact information, other information associated with theSNET group, exchange information, some combination thereof, or the like.Such a member can be an existing member of an SNET, a nonmember, alsoreferred to herein as a third party, or the like. For example, a humanuser with a device can approach within a threshold, such as a proximity,of an access point for a premises, or the like, upon which the accesspoint, some other device associated with the premises, or the likedelivers an invitation to an SNET group associated with the premises tothe human user via the device, to the device itself, some combinationthereof, or the like. The invitation can vary depending upon whether oneor both the human user and the device are already members of the SNET,nonmembers, or the like. For example, where the device is not a socialdevice, the access point can deliver an invitation in the form of a webpage to the device via a browser application, or the like, that offersthe device, human user, some combination thereof, or the like the optionof joining an SNET group as an ad hoc member. Where the device is asocial device, the invitation can include a direct invitation to theSNET group via a social interface, or the like, located on the device.

The invitation can be accepted via one of various acceptance processes.For example, where a social device receives an invitation that includesa unique identifier uniquely identifying the SNET group to which thesocial device is invited, the social device can interact with an accesspoint, another device, an SNET via an independent pathway, or the liketo utilize the unique identifier to accept the invitation. Acceptance inthe above example may include simply delivering the unique identifierand information identifying the social device delivering the uniqueidentifier, upon which the social device is identified as a member ofthe SNET group. In addition, where a non-social device attempts toaccess an access point, and the access point pushes a web page to abrowser application on the non-social device, the acceptance process caninclude accessing the web page, indicating a desire to join the SNETgroup, providing some other information, or the like, such that thenon-social device is accepted as a member of the SNET group.

Upon accepting the invitation, the human user, device, some combinationthereof, or the like can gain at least some access to services,information, or the like provided for the premises. For example, wherethe premises is a coffee shop, a member of a premises-based SNET groupmay gain access to various services including, without limitation,online newspapers, videos, a menu for item sales, shopping options forhome delivery, ordering interface for on-site delivery, otherinformation, some combination thereof, or the like. In another example,where the premises is a hotel, private residence, or the like, a memberof a premises-based SNET group may gain access to services, information,and the like including, without limitation, access to locally orremotely-stored content items, contact information, access to controlfunctional elements of on-site devices, some combination thereof, or thelike. In another example, where the premises is a shopping mall, anaccess point may deliver, push, or the like an invitation to the device,user of the device, some combination thereof, or the like to join anSNET group associated with the mall. The access point may require that adevice, user, or the like attempt to access the access point before theinvitation is delivered to the device, user, or the like in the form ofa unique identifier, web page, or the like. Services associated with theSNET group can include, without limitation, advertising, sales andcoupon information, and the like provided by computing devices of eachstore within the mall, a mall mapping service that shows SNET groupmembers the locations of particular stores, a mall music service thatprovides SNET group members with music or other media content served bymedia sources associated with the SNET group, telephone directoryservices, a search engine relating to anything within any store in themall, some combination thereof, or the like.

In some embodiments, an access point supports delivery of invitations tojoin an SNET group, processing acceptances of invitations, routingcommunications between members, ad hoc members, and potential members ofan SNET group and the SNET, SNET group, or the like. A device may needto attempt to access the access point to receive an invitation providedby the access point. In some embodiments, the access point automaticallyprovides the invitation to any device that the access point determineshas crossed a threshold, such as a predetermined proximity to apremises, location, or the like. Members of the SNET group, including adhoc members, may be able to couple with other devices, users, members,or the like that are also SNET group members, ad hoc members, or thelike. Upon crossing another or the same threshold, an SNET groupmembership can be terminated or restricted. For example, where a devicethat enters a premises is offered an ad hoc membership in an SNET groupby an access point, the access point may restrict, terminate, or thelike the ad hoc membership upon determining that the device has left thepremises.

FIG. 8 is a schematic block diagram of social device docking with asocial network group/sub-group in accordance with the presentdisclosure. In the illustrated embodiment, a social device 800 mayindicate a desire to associate, dock, or otherwise communicate with a(secure) SNET group/sub-group 802. The social device 800 device can beautonomous and independent or, alternatively, a participant in a secondSNET group 804 or other network serviced by the SNET gateway 806.

In one embodiment, either the SNET gateway 806 or SNET group gateway 808functions as a proxy for the social device 800. Proxy functionalitywithin the SNET gateway 806 may be provided by a software application ora computer system (server) that functions as an intermediary forrequests from clients (including connected social devices) seekingresources from other servers or gateways such as SNET gateway 808. Suchresources might include files, services, web pages, connections,profiling information, and interaction with social devices and otheravailable SNET group resources 818.

The SNET gateway 806 may evaluate requests from social devices accordingto various filtering rules. For example, the SNET gateway 806 can filtertraffic by IP address or protocol. Once a request from the social device800 validated (if necessary), the SNET gateway 806 connects to the SNETgroup gateway 808 over a WLAN/LAN or other communication path andrequests access to resources of the SNET group/sub-group 802 on behalfof the social device 800. The SNET gateway 806 may optionally alter therequest from the social device 800 or the response from SNET groupgateway 808 as appropriate.

Membership in the SNET group/sub-group 802 can be established through adocking module 810 of the SNET processing circuitry and software 812,which may support one or more device discovery and configurationprotocols. When SNET group membership is restricted, a local orcloud-based registrar 814 can be employed to provide authentication. Theregistrar 814 of the illustrated embodiment may utilize anadministrator, or a directory service 816 such as a LightweightDirectory Access Protocol (LDAP)-based directory server that storesattribute data. LDAP is a well-known application protocol for queryingand modifying items in directory service. When docking with an IP-basedSNET group, a social device may broadcast profile data to the localdomain using a textual data format such as Extensible Markup Language(XML).

FIG. 9 is a schematic block diagram illustrating access to a socialdevice participating in an SNET group/sub-group in accordance with anembodiment of the present disclosure. More particularly, a member orresource within a SNET group/PAN 900 accesses a social device/server 902(or group resources such as an Internet-based resource identified by aURL reference) associated with a second, secure SNET group 904.

Membership in the SNET group/PAN 900 might include, for example, a humanmember 910 accessing the SNET group 904 via a user interface (UI) 912.In various embodiments of the disclosure described herein, a UI 912 maycomprise a graphical user interface (GUI), voice controls, gesturecommands, etc. The UI 912 may take the form, for example, of a browserthat graphically indicates available resources. Access to the SNET group904 can also be provided by a proxy element, which can include, withoutlimitation, one or more proxy servers 914. The proxy server 914 canfunction as an intermediary for access requests from proxy clients916—including social devices connected to the proxy server 914 via theInternet or other IP-based networks—seeking to communicate with the SNETgroup/sub-group 904. Such resources might include files, services, webpages, connections, profiling information, and other available SNETgroup resources. It is noted that the human member 910 and proxy server914 may operate independently of a SNET group or PAN. Further, the proxyserver 914 may be a distributed or cloud-based entity, or a member of(or incorporated in a member of) the SNET group/sub-group 904.

In the illustrated embodiment, communications with the SNETgroup/sub-group 904 flow between a firewall 906 and/or a SNETgateway/firewall 908 over a WLAN/LAN communication channel. Thefirewall(s) may be software based (e.g., as part of an operatingsystem), or comprise various combinations of software and/or hardwarecomponents. In addition, a firewall may be incorporated in agateway/router such as the SNET gateway/firewall 908. In certainembodiments, the firewall may be operable to perform basic routingfunctions.

SNET group resources may be accessible via a zero configuration,multicast discovery protocol that locates devices, such as printers, andthe services offered by those devices on a local network using amulticast discovery protocol and related service records or profilinginformation. Such a protocol may operate at the application layer. Widearea service discovery of SNET group resources configured in this mannermay be enabled through an appropriately configured domain name service(DNS) server. Further, SNET group resources may be configured to supportinteroperability guidelines and network protocols, such as UniversalPlug and Play (UPnP), that provide uniform mechanisms and restrictionsfor accessing resources and media over a network.

SNET group communications according to various embodiments of thedisclosure may utilize a variety of transmission protocols. By way ofexample, most communication over the Internet is currently performed inaccordance with the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and UserDatagram Protocol (UDP). As is known, TCP typically provides anintermediate level of communication services between, for example, anapplication program and the Internet Protocol (IP). Port numbers areused to identify end-points for sending and receiving applications on ahost (often referred to as “Internet sockets” or “network sockets”).Internet sockets facilitate delivery of incoming data packets to anappropriate application process or thread, as determined by acombination of local and remote (e.g., SNET group) IP addresses and portnumbers. In some embodiments, the Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP)running over UDP may be employed for media streaming applications,real-time multiplayer gaming, voice over IP (VoIP), and likeapplications that are tolerant of a certain level of packet loss and maynot require a dedicated end-to-end-connection.

FIG. 10 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of socialdevice-based profiling to support advertising and group offerings inaccordance with the present disclosure. More particularly, a groupprofiling and data correlation module 1000 operates within a SNET group1002 (or an affiliated network accessible via Internet backbone 1020) tocompile profile and profile-related data regarding group members. In theillustrated embodiment, members of the SNET group 1002 include socialdevices 1004 associated with member 1008, group applications 1006, and aSNET sub-group 1004 comprised of a human member 1006 and affiliatedsocial devices.

Data compiled by the group profiling and data correlation module 1000may be used by members of the SNET group 1002 to perform a variety ofoperations. The data may further be accessed by a separate orintersecting SNET group/sub-group 1018. Membership in the SNETgroup/sub-group 1018 includes, for example, cloud-based applications1012, human members 1014 (via an API), and a variety of social devices1016. In an alternate embodiment, such entities operate independently ofa SNET group/sub-group.

FIG. 11 illustrates an embodiment of a social networking environmentthat adapts to trigger events, triggers, or the like. Some embodimentsof SNET groups can respond to externally-applied or internally-appliedtrigger events, such as completions of certain events, changes inlocation, elapses of time, some combination thereof, and the like. Theillustrated embodiment, shown in FIG. 11, is an SNET group that isdesigned to be used during travel, such that the SNET travel group 1100responds to completions of certain travel events, changes in location,and upcoming events by adding, removing, or otherwise modifying theinformation, access, and members of the SNET group. The illustratedembodiment also illustrates the changes that the SNET travel groupundergoes as a trip progresses. The illustrated embodiment shows a SNETtravel group for a short business trip that involves departing andreturn flights, a stay in a hotel at the destination, and a meeting withsome various partners at the destination.

As shown in state 1140, at the beginning of the trip, the SNET travelgroup 1100 includes two members, a social device 1102 associated withthe traveler's wife and a social device 1104 associated with theindividuals with whom the traveler is to meet at the destination. Insome embodiments, members of the SNET group can include an SNET accountdedicated to the SNET members, such that any social device associatedwith the member is a part of the SNET travel group 1100. In addition tothe members 1102 and 1104, the SNET travel group at state 1140 includesthe traveler's flight itineraries 1106 and 1110 for his departure andreturn flights, as well as information 1108 related to his hotelreservation. All of the above memberships and information can be addedto the SNET travel group manually by the traveler or some other entity,by a travel agency or device, or some other internal logic of a socialdevice, SNET, or the like.

As shown by line 1112, after the traveler completes his departure flightand arrives at his destination, his SNET travel group 1100 adapts tostate 1150. As the departure flight is completed, the SNET travel group1100 removes the departure flight itinerary 1106 from the informationassociated with the group 1100, as that event has been completed. Inaddition, in response to the change in location, SNET travel group 1100can seek out and add information related to local restaurants 1114 atthe destination, and add one or more potential taxi cabs' social devices1115 to the group 1100 in accommodation, anticipation, or the like ofthe traveler's likely needs.

As shown by line 1116, upon completion of the traveler's meeting and hispreparation for his return flight, SNET travel group 1100 has adapted tostate 1160, in response to the completion of his meeting and hischecking out of his hotel. As the traveler is about to depart hisdestination, the local restaurant information 1114 and the taxi cabsocial devices 1115 are removed from the SNET travel group 1100, whilethe hotel reservation information 1108 is removed in response to thetraveler checking out. Also, the meeting partners' devices 1104 areremoved from the SNET travel group 1100, as the meeting is complete, andthey no longer have interest in the traveler's trip. The only remainingitems in SNET travel group 1100 are the traveler's upcoming returnflight itinerary 1110 and the social device 1102 associated with thetraveler's wife.

In some embodiments, as a traveler's trip progresses, adding andremoving certain information, members, and accesses from the SNET travelgroup 1100 enables the traveler to interact with information and SNETmembers that are most relevant to the current and upcoming likely tripevents, such as reaching a new destination, preparing for an event,finding landmarks, restaurants, lodging, and the like.

In some embodiments, an SNET group, including an SNET travel group, isnot created by a user, manager, or the like, but rather is set up aspart of the SNET infrastructure 731. Such SNET groups 700 may or may notbe Ad Hoc SNET groups, and may be joined and exited at any time. Forexample, an SNET group may be dedicated to photographs taken at acertain location by socially-aware devices. SNET members in the area canjoin the SNET group and push relevant media content items to the SNETgroup, where they may remain indefinitely, until a certain trigger eventis reached, such as elapse of time or departure of the SNET member fromthe area, or the like. A traveler may add content items, for example,acquired during a trip to his SNET travel group 1100 so that othermembers of his travel group can view the content items.

In some embodiments, an SNET group member can utilize an SNET group,including, without limitation, a SNET travel group 1100, to engage ingaming and gambling actions. For example, a traveler entering a casino,arcade, or the like may add a gambling credit account to his SNET travelgroup and utilize the account to interact with and play various gamblingand gaming activities. In some other embodiments, an SNET member canestablish a game over a network by adding a social gaming device to anSNET group. Also, SNET members can be, in some embodiments, added to oneor more SNET groups dedicating to gaming activities based upon certaininformation associated with the SNET member, such as device connectionspeed, device capabilities, gaming score, or the like.

As described above, some embodiments according to the disclosurecomprise a wide variety of social devices, device services, proxies, andsoftware applications of various types participating as SNET/SNET groupmembers. Further, social devices and other types of SNET/SNET groupmembers having related or specific characteristics and interdependenciescan form SNET/SNET groups having specific purposes such as thosedescribed below in conjunction with FIG. 12. Various embodiments cancomprise, for example, SNET/SNET group members such as devicemanufacturers, automobile owners, hospitals and medical providers,repair shops, insurance companies and other third parties that mighthave an interest in communicating with a human member and/or associatedSNET devices. Such SNETs/SNET groups/SNET subgroups can be stand-aloneor an extension of other SNETs/SNET groups/SNET subgroups.

Some embodiments of an SNET/SNET group/SNET sub-group according to thedisclosure comprise various security devices and related services. SuchSNETs can include, for example, child monitoring groups, neighborhoodwatch groups, police/fire and security company groups, etc. A police orsecurity company can, in some embodiments, participate in an SNET inorder to monitor a series of crime alert situations via a neighborhoodgroup of participants and systems. Other actions/functionality caninclude, without limitation: alert generation due to social docked alarmsystems (e.g., a neighboring security device activation might trigger analert within nearby homes, possibly allowing neighbors to identifythieves, etc., and activate exterior lighting of a contiguous group ofneighboring homes); activation of security cameras with recordingcapabilities; some combination thereof; and the like. Likewise, policecan, in some embodiments, use the SNET to gain access to, andparticipate in, an area-wide mapping. This way, hot spots of criminalactivity could be identified and quickly serviced using social network“civilians” and their communication devices (turn on recording of sensordevices) in and around regions, as well as logging individual identitiesfor possible interviews for evidence.

In some embodiments, social (family) communication devices indicate whena residence is likely unoccupied. When this occurs, motion detectionwithin the residence can indicate an intrusion. A social camera devicecould then be activated to begin capture, storage and delivery ofinformation relating to motion, via the social network, to familycommunication devices. Family members can then make a judgment callregarding such information, and if desired trigger (via docked socialdevices) police or security team's involvement.

Social security/safety devices, in some embodiments, can include,without limitation: smoke, CO2 and radon detectors, some combinationthereof, and the like. For example, a social smoke detector can deliveran alarm not only in a traditional way, but also via some or all dockedsocial devices within a safety SNET/SNET group. Via such a SNET group,other social devices within a home might begin to alarm. Some suchdevices might even communicate to a neighbor, friend or relative, firestation and/or other monitoring personnel. In some embodiments, othersocial device members might be utilized via a SNET group. For example,dedicated social cameras within a home can be activated and begincapturing, storing and forwarding video. Face recognition can beemployed in an effort to identify intruders. Fire or police can viewforwarded video to assess the need to dispatch and/or contact ahomeowner (using use social devices in a subject SNET) for voice/videocommunications. Smoke data can also be delivered along with smokedetector metadata, such as GPS data (“living room” on the northeastcorner of the house on the first floor), home address, owner, contactinfo, etc., which can all be part of the social safety SNET group. Notethat social smoke detectors can have an integrated camera and fireproofstorage for later deciphering of the cause of a fire.

FIG. 12 illustrates an embodiment of interaction between various socialdevices and one or more social networks. In some embodiments, socialdevices can be located in a certain environment, including withoutlimitation, a household environment 1200, an automobile environment1292, an office environment, an industrial environment, some combinationthereof, or the like. Social devices located in an environment can befunctional devices that interact with social networks, other devices,and the like. For example, a household environment 1200 can include oneor more devices that are socially aware, including, without limitation,one or more social safety devices 1220, one or more social securitydevices 1210, one or more additional social devices 1230, and the like.A social safety device can be a smoke detector, a fire alarm, a carbonmonoxide detector, a sprinkler, a radon detector, a geiger counter, somecombination thereof, or the like. A social security device 1210 caninclude, without limitation, a motion detector, a lock, a securitysystem, a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera, some combinationthereof, or the like. An additional social device can include, withoutlimitation, a thermometer, a thermostat control, a lawn-sprinklersystem, a humidity detector, a rainfall meter, or the like. Suchdevices, in addition to performing their individual functions, caninteract with one or more social networks or social network groups,other devices within or without the household environment 1200, one ormore members of a social network or outside any social network, somecombination thereof, or the like. A social device can interact with anSNET 1250, which may or may not be dedicated to social devices, bybecoming a member of the SNET 1250, a particular SNET group 1203dedicated to similar types of devices, some combination thereof, and thelike. Which SNET 1250 or SNET group 1203 the social device interactswith can be determined by user input, internal logic, or the like. Forexample, a social smoke detector may be hard-wired to, upon beingconnected to a network, seek out and join one or more selected SNETs1250, SNET groups 1203, or the like. Social devices may be configured tointeract with one or more SNETs 1250, SNET groups 1203, or the like viaa wireless network, wired network, cellular network, some combinationthereof, or the like. Such connections may adapt to changing localconditions. For example, a social smoke detector can utilize a wirelessnetwork to interact with a social safety device group 1203 as long asthe smoke detector receives power from the house, but may switch to alower-power connections, such as over a cellular network, in the eventthat main power is lost or otherwise degraded below a certain threshold.

Participants in SNET 1250 can include entities with specific interest inthe functions of the social devices 1210, 1220, 1230, 1294, and thelike. For example, SNET 1250 can include one or more of a securitycompany 1260, an emergency services provider 1270, an insurance provider1280, a repair service 1290, an account of SNET members associated withone or more of the household environment 1200 automobile environment1292, or the like, individual social devices 1206 that may or may not beassociated with an SNET member account, some combination thereof, andthe like. When a social device sends a notification to SNET 1250, SNETgroup 1203, or the like, additional notifications can be sent to one ormore members of the SNET 1250 or SNET 1203, respectively. For example,where a social security device 1210 detects an intruder, in addition totriggering an alarm, the social security device 1210 can transmit awarning signal to SNET 1250, alerting some or all members of SNET 1250that the social security device has triggered an alarm. The warningsignal can be directed to any member of SNET 1250, some members, or thelike, such as any devices 1206 or accounts 1208 associated with membersof the household environment 1200, one or more security companies 1260,emergency services 1270, and the like.

Where social safety device 1220 is a smoke detector which detects smoke,it may send a warning signal to an SNET 1250, or an SNET group 1203which may or may not be dedicated to smoke detectors, social devices inthe particular household environment, or the like. The warning signalcan be received by members of the SNET 1250 or SNET group, including,without limitation, emergency services, insurance providers, repairservices, devices 1206 or accounts 1208 associated with members of thehousehold environment 1200, and the like. In addition, participants inSNET 1250, SNET group 1203, and the like can, in some embodiments,interact with social devise in household environment 1200, even if notpresently within the environment. For example, where a social securitydevice 1210 such as a security device activates, a security company 1260that receives a warning signal from the social security device 1210 viaSNET 1250 may command the social security 1210 to activate a local CCTVcamera in the household environment 1200, activate some other socialdevice 1230, or may activate the additional social device itself. Inaddition, when a social safety device 1220, such as a smoke alarm, istriggered, a member of the household environment 1200, upon receiving awarning signal from the social safety device 1220 via SNET group 1203 atdevice 1206, may command additional social devices 1230 that maycontribute to a fire to shut down, including, without limitation, a homegas line. To this end, certain devices may be grouped in SNET groups tohelp facilitate actions involving multiple devices simultaneously. Forexample, in the above scenario, where all socially-aware devices 1230that may contribute to a fire, such as cooking appliances, a gas line, agas heater, or the like, may be grouped together in an SNET group, suchthat, upon receiving a certain warning, a household environment membercan send a command to all of the devices in the group in one action,such as a command to shut down.

In some embodiments according to the disclosure, an insurance provider1280, repair service 1290, or the like participates in an SNET 1250 inorder to view and verify driving behavior histories/data and possiblyoffer discounts relating to same. The company can, for example, interactwith one or more automobile social devices 1294 located in one or moreautomobiles, automobile environments 1292, or the like. In the event ofa certain event concerning the automobile environment 1292, socialautomobile device 1294, or the like, a message can be sent, directly orvia SNET 1250, to certain members of SNET 1250. For example, if theautomobile environment 1292 is involved in an accident, socialautomobile device 1294 can transmit a message to SNET 1250 that can bedistributed to emergency services 1270, an insurance provider 1280, arepair service 1290, one or more individual household accounts 1208 ordevices 1206 associated with the automobile environment on SNET 1250,some combination thereof, or the like.

In some embodiments according to the disclosure, a SNET “travel” groupis provided to facilitate and/or monitor travel activities. The SNETtravel group can comprise, for example, travel companions, familymembers, friends and people to be visited, restaurants; coupon/rebateservices; etc. A member of a SNET travel group (which can be temporaryor persistent) can receive, without limitation, detailed hotelinformation (including confirmations, rates, feedback, amenities,restaurant recommendations, nearby attractions, etc.), an attendee listfor a social event/excursion, babysitter monitoring services, somecombination thereof, and the like.

In some embodiments according to the disclosure, a member of an SNET candesire to share images or other social media with family, photographers,friends, artists, etc. For example, a member may be dining at arestaurant in Athens and capture photos or video via a social cameradocked within a social sharing network. Such a sharing network caninclude SNET groups and sub-groups, such as a group being Travel, asub-group for Europe; a sub-sub-group for Greece; a sub-sub-sub-groupfor Athens; and a sub-sub-sub-sub-group for restaurants. By joining sucha restaurant sub-group, a member can gain access to restaurant reviewsand information and/or consume previously captured media and offer upthe member's like contributions to others.

In some embodiments, a social picture/video frame can be an outlet fordisplaying social content such as video. The relevant SNET can extendbeyond the actual dedicated frame to software supporting display ofsocial content on a television, computing device, or any other socialdevice (including social communication devices). SNET operation inaccordance with such embodiments can further be associated with amap/location, such that a group of photos from various social cameraswithin or beyond a SNET group might be queued up for display, along withmetadata supporting future or current travel (e.g., GPS location, maprouting, etc.). For example, a member's social picture frame might havea map view from which SNET participants can enter a center point, SNETgroup, country or region. Thereafter, the SNET can provide relevantfeeds, which can periodically change. Media feeds can be my own, myfamily, or world-wide submissions. Such images might also be pictures ofpeople so as to offer up an introduction infrastructure. For example, amember may see someone interesting on the feed and press the framescreen to obtain further information and perhaps request anintroduction.

In some embodiments, an SNET is established to support gaming/gamblingactivities. For example, an SNET can comprise either a persistent SNETor an ad hoc SNET group, and provide for purchase or transfer of gaming“credits” including, without limitation, NFC support for creditpurchasing. Further, an online game itself can be established and set upusing social devices, etc.

In accordance with the disclosure, various techniques (such astechniques described elsewhere herein) can be employed to determine theexistence and location of SNET/SNET group members and their associatedsocial devices. Such location information can be utilized in a varietyof ways including, but not limited to, those described below. Forexample, SNET location services could utilize one or more of thefollowing standards: GPS, LTE eNB, (IP) address, NFC (Near FieldCommunication), Bluetooth, WiFi, infrared, etc., and, of course, accountmetadata. Cloud-based storage can be utilized for various information,including location (e.g., GPS), to extend social network functionalities(for example, automatic SNET grouping/introductions, automaticservicing/selection of peripheral devices, etc.). Location-based groupsmight also be formed for travel, tracking, invites (and timeouts), etc.Location data, as well as other factors, can also be used, in someembodiments, to select online gaming competition/teams. For example, IPaddress selection can be conducted in a DNS-like manner for a relevantdomain name. In operation, a SNET/SNET group of game players or the likecan be formed based on location factors, SNET/SNET group attributes,network attributes, some combination thereof, or the like.

Various embodiments of a SNET group according to the disclosure cancomprise a wide variety of social devices, device services, proxies, andsoftware applications of various types participating as SNET groupmembers. Further, social devices and other types of SNET group membershaving related or specific characteristics and interdependencies mayform SNET groups having specific purposes. Various embodiments maycomprise, for example, SNET/group members such as device manufacturers,automobile owners, hospitals and medical providers, repair shops,insurance companies and other third parties that might have an interestin communicating with a human member and/or associated SNET devices.Such SNETs/groups may be stand-alone or an extension of otherSNETs/groups.

Some embodiments of an SNET group according to the disclosure maycomprise a wide variety of social devices, device services, proxies, andsoftware applications of various types participating as SNET groupmembers. Further, social devices and other types of SNET group membershaving related or specific characteristics and interdependencies mayform SNET groups having specific purposes. Various embodiments maycomprise, for example, SNET/group members such as device manufacturers,automobile owners, hospitals and medical providers, repair shops,insurance companies and other third parties that might have an interestin communicating with a human member and/or associated SNET devices.Such SNETs/groups may be stand-alone or an extension of otherSNETs/groups.

FIG. 13 illustrates an embodiment of an appliance social networkgroup/sub-group in accordance with the disclosure. In this embodiment,an appliance group/sub-group 1300 comprises a wide variety of(household) appliances/electronics (“social appliances” 1302) that mayinclude, without limitation, washing machines, dryers, refrigerators,televisions, STBs, thermostats, networking equipment, etc. Membership inthe appliance group/sub-group 1300 allows for a variety of interactionswith or between such social appliances 1302, including setup andconfiguration (as generally described above), testing, registration,firmware and driver updates, sharing, status updates including powerconsumption information, power company integration, location informationsharing, formation of sub-groups of social appliances, permissionsmanagement, etc.

Such interaction, including communications with various social devices1310 and family members 1306 participating in the appliancegroup/sub-group 1300, are facilitated through SNET processingcircuitry/software 1304. In addition, interaction between individualsand nodes in the appliance group/sub-group 1300 may be enabled throughindividual (household) accounts 1308. Interactions with authorizednon-members may also occur through cloud 1312 communication channels orother networking paths utilized by the appliance group/sub-group 1300.

With respect to certain contemplated social appliances 1302 such assmoke detectors, carbon dioxide detectors, alarm system systems andother security devices, automated SNET functionality may be implementedto place automated calls or notifications to family members or emergencyresponse entities (fire departments, law enforcement personnel, etc.)following detection of a safety event. Nearby residences may likewisereceive such notifications.

When a new social appliance 1302 joins an appliance group/sub-group1300, the SNET processing circuitry/software 1304 or like functionalitymay determine the model/sub-model of the appliance, deliver softwareupdates, configure operational modes, etc. Further, the appliance mayreceive or provide profile information relating to the appliance orother members of the appliance group/sub-group 1300. Bidirectionalcommunications with an appliance SNET group may occur through apowerline/phoneline/cable plant communication system (e.g., via Internetpathways, power company powerlines, or other specified communicationpathways). Smart grid functionality and interactions may similarly beconducted through Zigbee, WiFi, NFC, LTE, IMT-Advanced/4G and/or otherapplicable protocols.

FIG. 14 illustrates various embodiments of a vehicular SNETgroup/sub-group 1406 in accordance with the disclosure. The SNETgroup/sub-group 1406 includes a vehicle 1402, and may further includeone or more additional vehicles 1404, such as co-owned or familyvehicles. Various other devices, SNET sub-groups, service and contentproviders, providers, entities, may participate in the in the vehicularSNET group/sub-group 1406. In another embodiment, a vehicular SNETsub-group 1400 may itself join another SNET group (e.g., an owner orpassenger SNET group).

More particularly, membership in the vehicular SNET group/sub-group 1406may comprise a passenger SNET sub-group 1406 comprised of a human memberand associated entertainment devices 1408, communication devices 1410,computing devices 1412 and additional social devices 1414. Otherparticipants might include, for example, payment processing services1416 (for automated remunerations for gas, tolls, vehicleservicing/inspection, drive-through restaurants, etc.), insurancecompanies 1418, emergency services/devices 1420, vehicle manufacturers1422, and (location-based) content providers 1424. Various nodes ofvehicular SNET group/sub-group 1406 may include interfaces forcommunications through a cellular network, WAN or mobile hotpot 1426 andthe like. Various usage models include, for example, proximity-basedactivation of SNET group nodes such as garage door openers,environmental controls, etc. In addition, an insurance company mayparticipate in order to, for example, view and verify driving behaviorhistories/data and possibly offer discounts relating to same.

A vehicle 1402 according to the disclosure may be an automobile, bus,train, industrial or agricultural vehicle, ship, or aircraft. Vehicularnodes/modules in accordance with the disclosure may control specificcomponents relating to respective functionality. Such on-board groupnodes may include, for example, cameras and sensors, entertainmentsystems, environmental controls, computing resources, guidance andlocation functions, safety systems, braking and suspension systems,battery system/fuel cell monitors, emissions control modules,performance/engine control modules, etc. Various such vehicle groupnodes may be configured to communicate with one another.

Communications between modules and members of a vehicular SNETgroup/sub-group 1400 can be conducted, at least in part, over a vehiclenetwork using a standard protocol such as Vehicle Area Network (VAN) orController Area Network (CAN). A number of specialized protocols havebeen developed and are currently employed for vehicular communications,but it is anticipated that many of these protocols will eventually bedisplaced by more conventional networking technologies such as Ethernetand TCP/IP. Communications in a vehicular SNET group/sub-group 1400 mayemploy wireless communication technologies, and/or physical transmissionmedia such as single wire and twisted pair cabling, fiber optics, powerline communications (e.g., power grid connections via a charging stationfor battery powered vehicles), etc.

Referring to FIG. 15, a social network circle/group 1500 (hereinafter“SNET group”) comprising social devices 1502 is shown. Beyondtraditional social networking features and services, an SNET group 1500and associated social devices 1502 according to various embodiments ofthe disclosure include numerous novel features and attributes asdescribed more fully below with general reference to the illustration.

Briefly, membership in the SNET group 1500 may comprise docked socialdevices 1502 and human SNET members 1504, as well as proxies thereof.Further, SNET group 1500 nodes may include device services and software(e.g., applications) of various types participating as members. By wayof example, SNET members might include artificial intelligenceagents/social robots 1506, SNET security device(s) 1508, appliances,vehicles and service providers 1510, common or authorizedmembers/functionality of other SNET group 1512, etc. Further, access tospecific content and resources of an SNET group 1500 may be shared withmembers of additional SNET(s) or SNET group(s) 1514, including remote orweb-based applications. Such access can be conditioned on acceptableprofiling and association data. Similarly, social devices or individualsmay be granted temporary or ad hoc memberships, with or withoutrestricted access.

In the illustrated embodiment, formation, maintenance and operation ofSNET group 1500 is performed by standalone or distributed SNETprocessing circuitry and software 1516. It is noted that the “SNETprocessing circuitry” may comprise hardware, software, applications, orvarious combinations thereof, and be configurable to support variousfunctionalities disclosed herein. Further, the SNET processing circuitry1516 may be included in a standalone server, cloud-based resources,and/or the various types of devices described below, and incorporateauthentication and security functionality 1518. In addition, specializedmiddleware may also be utilized by SNETs according to the disclosure,including standardized middleware with an associated certificationprocess, one or more proxy elements, some combination thereof, and thelike. Interactions and interdependencies within the SNET group 1500 mayinvolve one or more of a social device association/control module 1520,an SNET member profiling module 1522, and an adaptive resourceallocation and arbitration module 1524 as described more fully below.

Distribution of internal and external SNET content/media 1526 can beaccomplished in a variety of ways in accordance with various embodimentsof the disclosure. For example, media distribution may involve anadaptive or parallel network routing infrastructure involving a widevariety of communication protocols and wired and/or wirelesscommunications channels. SNET content/media 1526 may comprise, forexample, various user-driven (advertising) channels, pictures, videos,links, online text, etc. Access to such content, as well ascommunications with and remote access to social devices 1502 of the SNETgroup 1500, may occur over an Internet backbone 1528, cellularcommunication system, WAN, LAN, etc.

FIG. 16 is a schematic block diagram of an exemplary social device 1600comprising integral functionality operable to support SNET/SNET groupmembership and communications according to various embodiments of thedisclosure. In the illustrated embodiment, a communication interface andtransceiver circuitry 1602 is operable to perform wired or wirelesscommunications between the social device 1600 and an SNET/SNET group1622 over one or more communication channels. Depending on thecapabilities and configuration of the social device 1600, communicationswith an SNET may be unilateral or bidirectional/interactive, and utilizeeither a proprietary or standardized communication protocol.

The social device 1600 further includes processing circuitry 1604operable to process and manage communications, services and associationsbetween the device and other entities including members of an SNET/SNETgroup 1622, third parties, software agents, etc. More particularly, theprocessing circuitry 1604 may include, for example, an SNET managementapplication 1612 comprising one or more of docking logic 1614,communication protocol control 1616 and security/authenticationfunctionality 1618.

The social device 1600 further may utilize that may take many forms andbe maintained in static or dynamic memory. Such profile informationenables a social device and/or user 1601 to present an image of itselfand its capabilities to other members of an SNET. As described morefully below, device and user profile information 1606 and 1608 may beutilized in various ways according to various embodiments of thedisclosure to facilitate a variety of social interactions. Depending onthe capabilities and requirements of a particular device (and othermembers of an SNET), a device or user profile may be static or dynamic.

In certain embodiments, the social device 1600 may interact with auser(s) 1601 via user interface circuitry 1610. User input to the socialdevice 1600 may include, for example, data entry through a keypad,touchscreen, remote control device, gaming controller, device controlbuttons, voice or gesture commands, storage device, etc. Authorizedaccess to or control of the social device 1600 can be facilitatedthrough unique biometric identifiers, passwords, token-basedidentification, trusted authorities or documents such as a driver'slicense or passport, and like authentication means.

The social device 1600 may perform core or underlying functionality1620, various examples of which are described herein. Alternatively, thesocial device may primarily function as a social networking interface orcommunication device, or be programmable to perform specific functionswithin an SNET/SNET group/SNET sub-group.

As may be used herein, the terms “substantially” and “approximately”provides an industry-accepted tolerance for its corresponding termand/or relativity between items. Such an industry-accepted toleranceranges from less than one percent to fifty percent and corresponds to,but is not limited to, component values, integrated circuit processvariations, temperature variations, rise and fall times, and/or thermalnoise. Such relativity between items ranges from a difference of a fewpercent to magnitude differences. As may also be used herein, theterm(s) “operably coupled to”, “coupled to”, and/or “coupling” includesdirect coupling between items and/or indirect coupling between items viaan intervening item (e.g., an item includes, but is not limited to, acomponent, an element, a circuit, and/or a module) where, for indirectcoupling, the intervening item does not modify the information of asignal but may adjust its current level, voltage level, and/or powerlevel. As may further be used herein, inferred coupling (i.e., where oneelement is coupled to another element by inference) includes direct andindirect coupling between two items in the same manner as “coupled to”.As may even further be used herein, the term “operable to” or “operablycoupled to” indicates that an item includes one or more of powerconnections, input(s), output(s), etc., to perform, when activated, oneor more its corresponding functions and may further include inferredcoupling to one or more other items. As may still further be usedherein, the term “associated with”, includes direct and/or indirectcoupling of separate items and/or one item being embedded within anotheritem. As may be used herein, the term “compares favorably”, indicatesthat a comparison between two or more items, signals, etc., provides adesired relationship. For example, when the desired relationship is thatsignal 1 has a greater magnitude than signal 2, a favorable comparisonmay be achieved when the magnitude of signal 1 is greater than that ofsignal 2 or when the magnitude of signal 2 is less than that of signal1.

As may also be used herein, the terms “processing module”, “module”,“processing circuit”, and/or “processing unit” may be a singleprocessing device or a plurality of processing devices. Such aprocessing device may be a microprocessor, micro-controller, digitalsignal processor, microcomputer, central processing unit, fieldprogrammable gate array, programmable logic device, state machine, logiccircuitry, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or any device thatmanipulates signals (analog and/or digital) based on hard coding of thecircuitry and/or operational instructions. The processing module,module, processing circuit, and/or processing unit may have anassociated memory and/or an integrated memory element, which may be asingle memory device, a plurality of memory devices, and/or embeddedcircuitry of the processing module, module, processing circuit, and/orprocessing unit. Such a memory device may be a read-only memory, randomaccess memory, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, static memory,dynamic memory, flash memory, cache memory, and/or any device thatstores digital information. Note that if the processing module, module,processing circuit, and/or processing unit includes more than oneprocessing device, the processing devices may be centrally located(e.g., directly coupled together via a wired and/or wireless busstructure) or may be distributedly located (e.g., cloud computing viaindirect coupling via a local area network and/or a wide area network).Further note that if the processing module, module, processing circuit,and/or processing unit implements one or more of its functions via astate machine, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or logiccircuitry, the memory and/or memory element storing the correspondingoperational instructions may be embedded within, or external to, thecircuitry comprising the state machine, analog circuitry, digitalcircuitry, and/or logic circuitry. Still further note that, the memoryelement may store, and the processing module, module, processingcircuit, and/or processing unit executes, hard coded and/or operationalinstructions corresponding to at least some of the steps and/orfunctions illustrated in one or more of the Figures. Such a memorydevice or memory element can be included in an article of manufacture.

The present invention has been described above with the aid of methodsteps illustrating the performance of specified functions andrelationships thereof. The boundaries and sequence of these functionalbuilding blocks and method steps have been arbitrarily defined hereinfor convenience of description. Alternate boundaries and sequences canbe defined so long as the specified functions and relationships areappropriately performed. Any such alternate boundaries or sequences arethus within the scope and spirit of the claimed invention. Further, theboundaries of these functional building blocks have been arbitrarilydefined for convenience of description. Alternate boundaries could bedefined as long as the certain significant functions are appropriatelyperformed. Similarly, flow diagram blocks may also have been arbitrarilydefined herein to illustrate certain significant functionality. To theextent used, the flow diagram block boundaries and sequence could havebeen defined otherwise and still perform the certain significantfunctionality. Such alternate definitions of both functional buildingblocks and flow diagram blocks and sequences are thus within the scopeand spirit of the claimed invention. One of average skill in the artwill also recognize that the functional building blocks, and otherillustrative blocks, modules and components herein, can be implementedas illustrated or by discrete components, application specificintegrated circuits, processors executing appropriate software and thelike or any combination thereof.

The present invention may have also been described, at least in part, interms of one or more embodiments. An embodiment of the present inventionis used herein to illustrate the present invention, an aspect thereof, afeature thereof, a concept thereof, and/or an example thereof. Aphysical embodiment of an apparatus, an article of manufacture, amachine, and/or of a process that embodies the present invention mayinclude one or more of the aspects, features, concepts, examples, etc.described with reference to one or more of the embodiments discussedherein. Further, from figure to figure, the embodiments may incorporatethe same or similarly named functions, steps, modules, etc. that may usethe same or different reference numbers and, as such, the functions,steps, modules, etc. may be the same or similar functions, steps,modules, etc. or different ones.

Unless specifically stated to the contra, signals to, from, and/orbetween elements in a figure of any of the figures presented herein maybe analog or digital, continuous time or discrete time, and single-endedor differential. For instance, if a signal path is shown as asingle-ended path, it also represents a differential signal path.Similarly, if a signal path is shown as a differential path, it alsorepresents a single-ended signal path. While one or more particulararchitectures are described herein, other architectures can likewise beimplemented that use one or more data buses not expressly shown, directconnectivity between elements, and/or indirect coupling between otherelements as recognized by one of average skill in the art.

The term “module” is used in the description of the various embodimentsof the present invention. A module includes a functional block that isimplemented via hardware to perform one or module functions such as theprocessing of one or more input signals to produce one or more outputsignals. The hardware that implements the module may itself operate inconjunction software, and/or firmware. As used herein, a module maycontain one or more sub-modules that themselves are modules.

While particular combinations of various functions and features of thepresent invention have been expressly described herein, othercombinations of these features and functions are likewise possible. Thepresent invention is not limited by the particular examples disclosedherein and expressly incorporates these other combinations.

What is claimed is:
 1. A social network (SNET) infrastructurecomprising: a social server configured to store contact information ofat least one SNET member who is also a member of an SNET group, the atleast one member having contact information designated as anonymous withrespect to nonmembers of the SNET group; the social server configured tosupport communications between a first device associated with themembers of the SNET group and a second device associated with anonmember of the SNET group; and a proxy supporting varying levels ofreaddressing based on social networking group membership, wherein: datatransfers from the first device to the second device use direct packetrouting; and data transfers from the second device to the first deviceflow through the proxy.
 2. The SNET infrastructure of claim 1, furthercomprising: a contact database hosted by the SNET group, the contactdatabase configured to permit individual members of the SNET group todesignate some or all of the contact information associated with theindividual members of the SNET group as at least partially anonymous. 3.The SNET infrastructure of claim 2, the contact database furthercomprising: a data structure configured to store anonymity informationspecifying conditions under which the some or all of the contactinformation is to remain anonymous.
 4. The SNET infrastructure of claim1, the proxy element further configured to: monitor packet flow; andperform middleman readdressing in accordance with the anonymityinformation.
 5. The SNET infrastructure of claim 1, the proxy elementfurther configured to: provide substitute contact information to thesecond device.
 6. A Social Network (SNET) device supportingcommunications between an anonymous first device and a public seconddevice, the SNET server comprising: interface circuitry configured toreceive a first request from the anonymous first device, the firstrequest associated with routing a first SNET communication to a publicsecond device; processing circuitry configured to provide to route thefirst SNET communication to the public second device using direct packetrouting; the interface circuitry further configured to receive a secondrequest from the public second device, the second request associatedwith routing a second SNET communication to the anonymous first device;and the processing circuitry further configured to route the second SNETcommunication to the anonymous first device using substitute addressing.7. The SNET device of claim 6, the processing circuitry furtherconfigured to: monitor communications; and perform middlemanreaddressing.
 8. The SNET device of claim 6, the interface circuitryfurther configured to: obtain information from a database configured tostore actual contact information of an SNET group member associated withthe anonymous first device, wherein: at least part of the actual contactinformation is designated as anonymous with respect to the public seconddevice; and and the at least part of the actual contact information isdesignated as non-anonymous with respect to at least one other device.9. The SNET device of claim 8, the database configured to: storeanonymity information specifying conditions under which the at leastpart of the actual contact information is to remain anonymous.
 10. TheSNET device of claim 9, the processing circuitry further configured tosupport varying levels of anonymity based on the anonymity information.11. The SNET device of claim 10, the processing circuitry furtherconfigured to: transmit, to the public second device, substitute contactinformation in place of the actual contact information.
 12. The SNETdevice of claim 9, the processing circuitry further configured to:transmit substitute contact information in place of the actual contactinformation to at least a third device associated with at least oneother SNET group member.
 13. A method for use in routing communicationsin a Social Network (SNET) infrastructure, the method comprising:receiving, at an SNET social device, a first request from an anonymousfirst device, the first request including a request associated withrouting a first SNET communication to a public second device; routingthe first SNET communication to the public second device using directpacket routing; receiving, at the SNET social device, a second requestfrom the public second device, the second request associated withrouting a second SNET communication to the anonymous first device; androuting the second SNET communication to the anonymous first deviceusing substitute addressing.
 14. The method of claim 13, furthercomprising: monitoring communications packets; and performing middlemanreaddressing.
 15. The method of claim 13, further comprising: obtaininginformation from a database configured to store actual contactinformation of an SNET group member associated with the anonymous firstdevice, wherein: at least part of the actual contact information isdesignated as anonymous with respect to the public second device; andand the at least part of the actual contact information is designated asnon-anonymous with respect to at least one other device.
 16. The methodof claim 15, wherein the database is configured to: store anonymityinformation specifying conditions under which the at least part of theactual contact information is to remain anonymous.
 17. The method ofclaim 16, further comprising: providing varying levels of anonymitybased on the anonymity information.
 18. The method of claim 17, furthercomprising: transmitting, to the public second device, substitutecontact information in place of the actual contact information.
 19. Themethod of claim 17, further comprising: transmitting substitute contactinformation in place of the actual contact information to at least athird device associated with at least one other SNET group member. 20.The method of claim 13, wherein substitute addressing includes providinga network address of the SNET social device in place of a networkaddress of the anonymous first device.